A Long Awaited Visit
by Avalain Nightshade
Summary: Avalain Nightshade has grown tired of a simple life in Rivendell. Middle-Earth calls to her; she longs to explore the world, to make friends, to find adventure, to find love... but these desires are put on hold when Gandalf the Grey escorts a party of Dwarves to her valley... and Avalain soon realizes that love may have found her first. (REWRITE of An Unexpected Visit)
1. Chapter 1

Hello, everyone! Before you begin, I just wanted to say: this is a rewrite from a previous fic I had published in 2015 called _An Unexpected Visit. _Now that I have revitalized that original fic, I have made the executive decision to delete _An Unexpected Visit _and its sequel, _A Long Awaited Journey _from my profile.

As I was rewriting Avalain's main story, _Until the Stars Fade _(which I will soon be deleting and re-publishing as well), I decided that her prequel needed an update, too. Thus, I have decided to create this new project, which is now called _A Long Awaited Visit. _Thank you for reading; have a wonderful day or night, and I hope you enjoy.

* * *

On the 13th day of April, the year 2941, Avalain Nightshade, the fourth child and second daughter of Elrond of Rivendell, was frightfully bored. It had been twelve long years since last she had visited the Mirkwood where her best friend Legolas Greenleaf lived, and she was lamenting this fact with her quill as she was writing him a letter.

As she was composing the third page of said letter, her hand began to cramp. With a sigh, she set down her quill and glanced out the window. Everything was the same as it had been just a few minutes ago; the leaves were lightly rustling in the wind, the birds were still chirping as they perched outside her window… the very air radiated with a golden peace. It felt as if nothing would change for an eternity.

Avalain returned to her letter. She pored over what she had written to Legolas so far… Most of it was rambling about how much she missed him or asking about the state of the Mirkwood realm or wondering if he would have time to visit that summer.

As childish as she might have sounded, it **_had_** been fifteen years since last he visited, and Avalain was slowly falling out of love with the stagnant ways of Rivendell. She longed for her best friend, or for adventures of her own, even… but she had not been allowed to do much, seeing as she was charged with duties in her own land.

It was with a reluctant sigh that Avalain folded her papers and began to tie them together with a string. She honestly had no idea what else to say—so she rose from her chair and proceeded to summon one of the Homely House's messenger birds. She gently tied the letter around the hawk's leg, and after a soft stroke of its brightly-colored head, the bird flew away.

Left with not much else to do, Avalain decided to take a walk.

As she passed by the gardens, servants of the Homely House bowed or curtsied before her. She greeted them all by name and gave them a courteous smile, as these Elves were not only her family's servants, but her friends. Despite her benevolent greetings, however, they seemed uneasy.

The She-Elf knew why this was so: her father was off on one of his Hunts again. It was the fourth time in a month that Lord Elrond had rode out with his hunters to track down rogue Orcs. This was the fourth time in a month that they had strayed close to their borders, and this knowledge was putting her people on edge.

Before long, Avalain found herself by the tallest waterfall, where she and Legolas would escape to when they wanted to be alone. For a while she remained there, but she was unable to banish the concern she held for her father's well-being, even though she knew he was a great and talented warrior.

It was only another twenty minutes later that the unmistakable sound of an Elvish hunting horn pierced the air. The sound was so boisterous, not even the waterfall could conceal it—Avalain squinted down at the entrance to Rivendell to see a rather large number of people gathered at the silver gate.

Confusion and curiosity washed over her… but below that, a compelling feeling told her to go to the Homely House's pavilion. It felt like this could be the change she had been waiting for; even as she picked up her skirts and began to race down her house's walkways, she could practically **_feel_** a difference in the air, a change in the wind.

Once Avalain reached the stairs that would lead her to the pavilion, however, she stopped. Her father's voice was declaring in Elvish, "Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders."

But it was not her father's voice that caused Avalain to freeze. It was the voice replying.

"Ah, that may have been us!"

Avalain blinked, startled, and whispered, "Gandalf?" to herself. She could not fathom why he had suddenly arrived unannounced in Rivendell after so many long years…

Although, she laughed to herself, perhaps she shouldn't be so surprised—wizards were rather notorious for appearing only on their own whims.

Uncertain on whether she should reveal herself yet, Avalain grinned and concealed herself behind a bush. She carefully pried a branch to the side and almost gasped aloud at what she saw.

Gandalf was not alone. Alongside him stood a dozen Dwarves—only one was a woman, and there was another beside them who was no Dwarf, but a half-ling.

One of the Dwarves stepped forward, and was recognized by her father: "Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain."

Avalain recognized that name from her studies on recent history. Thorin Oakenshield was the grandchild of Thror, and was the rightful heir to the throne under the mountain of Erebor.

He certainly looked kingly; he stood tall and proud as he appraised her father Elrond. His blue eyes were sharp, and the presence of an oaken branch at the dwarf's side confirmed the fact that it truly was him.

"I do not believe we have met," said Thorin, his eyes narrowed. He did not seem very pleased to be conversing with an Elf.

Lord Elrond, however, did not appear offended. "You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain."  
"Indeed?" scoffed the Dwarf. "He made no mention of **_you_**_._"

Avalain frowned, not quite sure why Thorin was being so rude and malevolent to her father. King Under the Mountain or not, he was still in the presence of an Elvish Lord—and he was a guest in Elven homelands, no less.

She watched her father intently, wondering how he would take this… She almost laughed aloud when he began speaking in Elvish. Although he was being quite polite, offering the Dwarves food and shelter, the Dwarves obviously believed he was saying something else.

"What is he saying?" growled one of the other Dwarves. "Does he offer us insult?!"

The rest of the Dwarves exclaimed in shock and raised their weapons.

"No, Master Gloin," responded Gandalf, a hint of exasperation in his tone, "He's offering you **_food_**_._"

Hearing this, the Dwarves all circled round each other, as if discussing.

"Ah," said the Dwarf named Gloin. "Well, in that case, lead on."

Avalain could not help laughing at this.

Only a few of the people seemed to hear her laughter: Gandalf, Thorin, her father Elrond and his servant Lindir, the half-ling, and a young Dwarf with blond hair. The rest did not seem to have heard her outburst, and they followed Lindir with a fair bit of grumbling.

As they passed, Avalain stood off to the side. She was rather curious as to their purpose in Rivendell… They would certainly change the Homely House's routines. She sincerely hoped it would be a good change; something that would raise her spirits.

The half-ling noticed her as he approached. She offered him a smile and a wave in a gesture of welcoming.

He smiled and moved on with the rest of his companions. It was the young blond Dwarf who noticed her next. He stopped in his tracks and gave her a suspicious look—one that highly resembled Thorin Oakenshield's.

Avalain could not help but chuckle at the resemblance. She suspected that this Dwarf and Thorin were related, for it would explain the similarities in their faces… as well as their demeanors.

That very Thorin Oakenshield tromped up to the blond Dwarf just then. "Come on, Fili," he muttered, placing a hand on Fili's shoulders.

Fili seemed to hesitate, a puzzled look still on his face as he gazed at Avalain. It appeared he did not know what to make of her yet—hoping to end their brief meeting on a positive note, she waved and smiled just as she had done with the hobbit.

A slight smile appeared on his face before he turned to follow Thorin.

The third and fourth Dwarves to spot her were the female Dwarf and a young black-haired archer, both of whom cocked their heads curiously. Although Avalain waved at them both, the woman simply sniffed and stalked off—although fortunately, the young archer had a smile identical to Fili's as he walked past.

Once again, Avalain could only assume that the archer was related to the blond and to Thorin Oakenshield.

As she watched the Dwarves' backs, Avalain was brought out of her thoughts by a hearty laugh.

"If I am not mistaken, it is my wonderful pupil, Avalain Nightshade."

She whirled around to find herself face-to-face with Gandalf, the wizard she had come to love as a father. A grin broke out over her face as she exclaimed, "Gandalf!" and embraced him happily. "It is so good to see you. It's been many long years."

"Two hundred, if I recall correctly," sighed Gandalf, raising an eyebrow. "Many long years indeed. I take it you are well?"

"Too well, I'm afraid. What with your and Legolas's appearances being so scarce, I've been quite ready for a change. You do not know how very glad I am you've come."

Gandalf chuckled, though it was a careful one. "I do hope you will forgive me in advance for any trouble this company of Dwarves might bring you."

"Why do you say that?" Avalain queried, unable to restrain her confused frown. "And why are they with you?"  
There was no doubt that this last question made the wizard uncomfortable. He smiled nervously, the way he always did when faced with a conundrum. "They may be a bit difficult to warm up to, to answer your first question. As for your second, these Dwarves are simple merchants wishing to visit their kin in the Iron Hills."

"Thorin Oakenshield included?"

"Thorin Oakenshield included."

But Avalain was not falling for this. She was no longer the child he once tutored and parented. There could only be one explanation for why Gandalf would be escorting Thorin Oakenshield and a company of his trusted relatives and friends…

"If they **_are_** simple merchants, as you claim, then I must be the Queen Under the Mountain," she muttered softly.

The sharp look of shock upon the wizard's face told her all she needed to know.

"Upon my word," he exclaimed. "It appears I have not been gone long enough to deceive **_you_**_._"

"I doubt you will be able to regain that ability," the She-Elf smirked, bowing cheekily. "Though it appears you have been gone long enough to forget something about me."

Gandalf raised an eyebrow. "And what is that?"

She laughed and took the wizard's hand, giving it a soft squeeze. "It appears you are worried that I shall tell Father what you are doing." Noting Gandalf's look of mild surprise, she added, "You are quite incorrect. Since when have I ever told Father about your dangerously exciting adventures?"

Seeing the look of relief upon the wizard's face, Avalain smiled coyly and turned to the palace. She knew that Lindir would require her assistance in preparing the guest rooms for the Dwarves—but before she took her first step, she said, "You are, of course, invited to dinner for as many nights as you wish. The Dwarves and the half-ling too—I have no doubt you are all weary and famished after such a journey."

Gandalf rewarded her with a nod and a smile, and then Avalain moved to return to the palace. She soon found Lindir and, although her friend was grumbling under his breath about the accommodations for a dozen sudden guests, could not help but be excited for the evening. Surely, what with the presence of a dozen Dwarves, the night would wield a most entertaining supper indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

When at last it was time for dinner, Avalain hovered around the guest table for a while, admittedly interested in what the Dwarves dining customs and conversations were like. She had never before been in the presence of Dwarves for a period longer than three days; there was so much she could still learn about them. Already they astonished her—they were **_different_**_, _they were utterly unlike Elves at all, and it was fascinating.

One thing that Avalain found particularly amusing was when one of the younger Dwarves lamented, "I don't like green food," and reached for another loaf of bread. He seemed a little lost among his older companions.

It was the female Dwarf that laughed softly and said, surprisingly gently, "Try it, maybe you'll find that this time around you'll like it. Trust me…"

The Dwarf did so, and he seemed surprised to find he didn't actually dislike the taste. This caused Avalain to smile a bit.

As she turned to glance at the sunset, she happened to overhear another conversation: "Can't say I fancy Elvish maidens myself. Too thin. They're all creamy skin and high cheekbones. Not enough facial hair for me."

Hearing this, the Elvish Lady glanced over to see who spoke—it was the black-haired archer that had noticed her presence earlier in the afternoon.

"Although," he added after a moment. "That one's not bad."

Quite curious as to whom he was referring, Avalain looked at the young Dwarf after a second of pause. She blinked in surprise when she found he was looking at **_her_**—he swiftly dropped his gaze, though Avalain did not move hers.

When he looked back at her, she smiled. He was rather tall, after all, but… no, she thought, perhaps not.

There was a bit of laughter from the blond Dwarf, Fili, who was sitting to his brother's side. "You have forgotten about keen Elvish ears, Kili."

Kili grinned embarrassedly—Avalain decided to use this opportunity to smirk and reply, "Well, perhaps I might say the same about Dwarven men."

The brothers looked both astounded and confused. Fili rose an eyebrow and leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "What do you mean by that, exactly?"

"I mean to say that you **_are_** rather tall… for a Dwarf."  
A couple other Dwarves heard her jest—a number of them chuckled. The Dwarf who sat on the other side of Kili laughed and asked, "Are you going to take that, boys?"

"Can it, Bofur," Kili muttered.

Seeing his brother's murderous expression, Fili looked back at Avalain and easily retorted, "And **_you're_** short for an Elf."

"Pah!" gasped Avalain, though she was more entertained than offended. The Dwarves began to laugh louder at her exaggerated expression; she had to restrain laughter herself as she exclaimed, "And to think I meant you a compliment!"

Now the Dwarves were cackling; the She-Elf was pleased with this reception.

"Although compliments are well and good, I do not wish to hear anything more than your name," said Fili, proffering the She-Elf a small but genuine smile.

Avalain returned the gesture, and although she was glad the Dwarves were taking an interest in getting to know her, she felt mildly self-conscious upon feeling thirteen pairs of eyes glued to her face. One of her hands moved her hair in front of her shoulder as she replied, "You may call me Avalain. I am the fourth child of Elrond and the younger Lady of Rivendell. I shall take care of you during your stay here."  
"Avalain Nightshade?" asked an astonished voice. "By Durin's beard, it **_is _**you, isn't it?"

The She-Elf blinked and glanced among all the Dwarves that Thorin Oakenshield had brought alongside him. When she saw who had spoken, she gasped with delight: "Balin!"

Balin grinned and leapt up from his chair, extending a hand and shaking her own heartily. "How time has passed! It's been twenty years, if I am correct?"

"Very close," she responded with a smile. "Eighteen."

"How are you?" asked the Dwarf.

"Quite well, but better now that I realize I know someone! And yourself?"

Balin looked around before answering. "Well, I am among friends, both old and new, family, and otherwise good company. It is a peaceful evening in a peaceful city—I daresay I can answer that I too am quite well."

"That is well and good," responded Avalain. "I am very glad to see you!"

Before Balin could respond again, a voice shouted, "Wait, wait, hold on, I'm confused—how on earth do you two know each other?"

Avalain looked over to the young black-haired archer, Kili, and saw the way his eyebrows were furrowed together. She couldn't hold back her laughter as she explained, "We met very briefly as I was travelling to Mirkwood. We came across one another on the South Road and accompanied one another for two days."

"I was going to Moria, myself. It was a routine trip, it was," Balin seconded, nodding sagely. "But enough about old times. I realize that you must not know those whom I travel with **_now_**! Allow me to introduce you, Avalain."

With these last words, the elderly Dwarf cleared his throat and shouted, "Line up, boys!"

All of the Dwarves did so, save the one woman, who huffed and walked off to the edge of the dining pavilion. Avalain noticed that she had intentionally placed herself within earshot of the High Table.

"Now, there are thirteen of us, so it may take you a while to remember each of their names. I still get some of them confused, mind," he added quietly. Hearing the She-Elf's laugh, he smiled and continued. "Now, let's begin at the far end."

Both the Dwarf and the Elf walked to the edge of the line, where stood the Dwarf named Bofur who'd previously taunted Fili and Kili.

"This is Bofur," said Balin, true to Avalain's recollection. Next to Bofur stood a bald Dwarf with crossed arms and a menacing glint in his eye. "And my brother Dwalin," introduced Balin again. The third Dwarf was rather rotund, and he looked admiringly at Avalain as she passed by. "Bombur…"

One-by-one, the Dwarves names were rattled. "Bifur, Oin, Gloin, Ori, Dori, our hobbit Bilbo, and Fili and Kili."

Avalain kept back a grin as she approached Fili and Kili. "Ah, yes," she said teasingly. "**_These_** two do not like me."

"Come now, we never said **_that_**…" retorted Fili, crossing his arms.

Just then, the female Dwarf brushed by Avalain and, without looking at her, said, "Don't worry, Avalain. They like you just fine." And the woman skulked off and turned the corner. She did not come back.

The She-Elf stared after the Dwarf lady and murmured, "I'm not quite sure how to interpret that…"

Balin cleared his throat. "And **_that_** was Kira, Thorin's goddaughter. You'll have to forgive her. She isn't the most… er… easygoing of the group."

Avalain could not say she was surprised. She recalled the story of Erebor's loss, and knew how the Dwarves felt towards Elven-kind because of it. Thus, Thorin's and Kira's demeanors, while not ideal, were unsurprising.

This prompted Avalain to say, "That's quite all right. In truth, it is as I expected. I know there are some of Durin's folk that do not take kindly to Elves, with good reason. I hope, however, that they will grow to tolerate us. We aren't that bad; we don't bite."

There was a scoff to Avalain's left. She saw Kili quickly look away and she knew he was guilty.

"Most of the time," she added nonchalantly. She turned away from Kili's wide eyes with a complacent grin. "I must say, Balin, I did not know you had chosen to return to the Blue Mountains. Gandalf has told me you wish to visit your kin in the Iron Hills?"

The Dwarves all looked at one another, uncertain.

It was Balin who answered first. "He is quite right! We have not had a Dwarvish meeting in a long time. We wish to conduct one soon."

"I see! I bet it shall be a most **_golden_** meeting. It has been, what, sixty years since you last were there?" asked Avalain, a light smirk at her lips. She had to say, she rather liked joking with them as such. While Elves would banter back and forth for ages, Dwarves were apparently not the same way. They seemed dumbstruck, and short whispers began to spread throughout the company.

She only winked and put a finger to her lips. To reassure them all, she added, "I wish you the best of luck when visiting your home. Before you leave this city, do let me know if you need my assistance. I will do all I can to help you return home."

Each of the eleven Dwarves present was gazing at her skeptically—all except Balin, who clapped his hands and laughed.

"I've missed the dry humor of Elves," he sighed, shaking his head. Lowering his voice, he added, "I've forgotten how quickly you can pick up on things." Then, Balin turned to the rest of his companions and cried, "Worry not! She is a friend, and a trustworthy one at that."

"How do we know?" asked a deep voice behind him.

Avalain turned to see Thorin Oakenshield glaring up at her, a look of disdain clear upon his face. Thinly masked underneath it was a look of malice and loathing—she could see clearly that Thorin **_did_** hate Elves as much as she feared.

Thus, Avalain elected to switch to the Dwarvish tongue in the hopes of earning his trust: "I believe in your purpose, Thorin Oakenshield. I believe it is time for you to reclaim your birthright. Were I able, I would help you enter that mountain, to right the wrongs that our kind did to yours that day… but as I cannot, I will offer any assistance you require that is in my power to give. It is not enough to make up for the past, but hopefully, it is a start."

The Dwarves all looked among one another once again, placated by her words. They began grumbling in an approving sort of tone—it seemed they were pleased with her use of their language.

"Avalain?" asked a familiar voice. She turned to see Lindir walking towards her. He stopped a few feet in front of her and asked, in Elvish, "May I speak with you?"

"Of course," she replied. She quickly excused herself from the Dwarves and followed Lindir as he led her off to the side. Once they were a good distance away from the ears of both Dwarves and Elves, she placed a hand on his arm and asked, "What is it you wish to speak about?"

Lindir gazed around worriedly. "I do not trust these Dwarves," he replied softly. "I advise you to be very careful around them. The leader of their Company especially wishes to have nothing to do with us… You know why he despises Elves, do you not?"

She nodded but implored, "I do, but Lindir… if we treat them unkindly, that will only deepen the rift between our people. Do you wish that?"

"Having a rift with them has never hindered us before."

"And who will guarantee our relationship will remain dormant in the future?" persisted Avalain. "I thank you for your concern, Lindir, but I do not believe they are belligerent. In fact, I believe quite the opposite—they are good people. I'm certain that given time, they will be friends rather than foes or simple acquaintances. We have all already been introduced, and they've been kind."

Lindir looked rather distressed as he whispered this next, his brown eyes lit with concern. "Avalain, I am worried for your safety. I know you mean well, and that you wish to believe the best in these Dwarves, but there is still the possibility that they might harm—"

He stopped short, as he had been interrupted by a sudden clanging of metal. Both Avalain and Lindir whirled around to find Bofur had climbed upon one of the small stools, knocking trays and goblets to the floor in the process.

"By the Light of the Eldar, what—" started Lindir, but he got no further than that before Bofur began to sing:

_There's… an…_

_Inn, there's an inn, there's a merry old inn_

_Beneath an old gray hill,_

_And there they brew a beer so brown_

_The Man in the Moon himself came down_

_One night to drink his fill._

_Oh, the ostler has a tipsy cat_

_That plays a five-stringed fiddle;_

_And up and down he runs his bow,_

_Now squeaking high, now purring low,_

_Now sawing in the middle._

_So the cat on his fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle_

_A jig that would wake the dead:_

_He squeaked and sawed and he quickened the tune,_

_While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon,_

_'It's after three,' he said!_

During Bofur's song, Avalain had begun to laugh. Despite Lindir's protests, she returned to the dining pavilion, her father's poor servant at her heels. As she neared, the Dwarves saw her coming and cheered—then they began throwing food about the place, much to the dismay of the majority of the Elves.

But not to Avalain's. Instead, she threw a hand to her throat as she giggled and watched as her kinsmen sprinted away. Before long, Elrond, Lindir, and herself were the only remaining Elves. While Bilbo looked rather astounded as he sat among the Dwarves, Gandalf had his head in his hands. He reminded Avalain of an exasperated parental figure, and she only laughed harder at the thought.

Avalain's mirth was cut short, however, when she noticed something heading for her shoulder. She ducked underneath an apple heading her way and gazed across the Dwarves—her eyes landed on Fili, who was tossing an apple up and down in his hand. Seeing him, she exclaimed, "Did you just toss an apple at me?"

"I don't know!" was the reply. "Did it look anything like this?"

And Fili threw the second apple, which Avalain also ducked under. The apple hit poor Lindir in the stomach, but the She-Elf did not stop to fret. Instead, she grinned and exclaimed, "Well, I never!"

Without hesitating, she seized a bowl of mashed potatoes, plunged her hand into it, and threw a glop of it at Fili—it landed on his chest, which made him gape.

His expression only made Avalain giggle. She scooped up a second handful, but this time the Dwarf managed to grab a silver platter and use it as a shield. The mashed potatoes smacked against the dish and fell limply to the ground.

"Hah!" shouted Kili, who was watching his brother and Avalain as they attempted to pelt each other with edibles. "Fili's flirting with an Elf!" he cried to the nearest person who would listen. It so happened to be Bilbo, who still looked lost. This comment did not bother Avalain very much, seeing as that was probably the **_last_** thing that was actually happening. She wished to persist in the food war, for she would've liked nothing more than to nail Fili in the face with a buttery ball of potato, but she stopped.

Avalain felt rather than saw her father's eyes upon her. She did not dare look at the Lord Elrond; nor did she respond to Fili's jest of, "I did not think you would submit so easily!" Knowing that should she continually participate in the food fight, her father might disapprove, Avalain sadly set the bowl upon the table.

Noticing that the Elvish lady had ceased participating in their sport, the rest of the Company receded as well. Once all was silent again, they all gazed at her with a newfound respect—though she was glad to see it, she did not wish to lose the pride her father had for her. And so, Avalain sighed and exclaimed, "I should probably wash the crème sauce out of my hair, shouldn't I?"

The Dwarves stared at her, bemused, for a second—and then roared in laughter. Avalain allowed herself to follow suit: after all, the whole situation had been ridiculous, but just as ridiculously entertaining.

Avalain finally allowed herself to look at her father and was shocked to see that he looked **_amused_**_, _of all things.

Rather relieved that he did not appear embarrassed or angry, Avalain merely shook her head and said, "I must admit, the festivities of Dwarves are a thing to behold."

The Dwarves cheered at this and all seized glasses of wine. Over all the commotion, Avalain somehow heard Bofur shout, "I'll drink to that! Who's with me?"

His kinsmen echoed his words and toasted their glasses, seeming very careful to not break the glassware out of respect for Avalain and her father. She looked around, wondering if perhaps there was a spare glass anywhere—

She felt a tap on her arm. Avalain looked the her left to see Fili extending a full glass her direction, a light grin upon his face.

"Truce?" he asked.

Avalain couldn't help but giggle and reply, "Very well, truce."

She took the outstretched goblet and, after taking her cheers, began to drink. Before much longer, Bofur was back on top of the table and was singing more Dwarvish folk songs, and the other Dwarves were clapping and laughing as he did so.

The She-Elf sighed and put a hand to her head, looking in the direction of the High Table. Her father still seemed rather amused, Gandalf appeared exasperated still, and Thorin was looking upon the spectacle with a newfound light in his eyes.

The would-be King caught her gaze, nodded ever so slightly, and raised a glass in her direction. Avalain grinned and returned the gesture, and drank again, ignoring Lindir's protests that she shouldn't get overly inebriated or else she might feel terrible the following morning.

Avalain, however, felt incredibly comfortable. She had been right, after all.

Supper had been a most entertaining affair—and she was certain there would be other wonderful changes coming to Rivendell with their presence in the coming days.


	3. Chapter 3

Later that night, Avalain was standing underneath her favorite stargazing gazebo, humming softly to herself. She had spent many nights there in her early youth, teaching Elvish children about the constellations and the stars of the Eldar, the stars of which Elves were the most fond.

The night was quiet; peaceful. There was only the familiar sound of the waterfall as it rushed into the lakes below. As comforting as it was, Avalain longed for something different. She did not, however, wish to actively seek the Dwarves without reason. She knew, ironically, that though her father would not scold her for socializing with the Dwarves, Lindir would jump upon the opportunity.

Because of this, Avalain stayed put… though she could not keep the small smirk off her face while thinking of Lindir's expression during the food-fight at dinner. It had been quite the sight.

"I have heard that Dwarves have arrived in our valley."

Avalain smiled, knowing exactly who had snuck up behind her.

"They have," she answered, that smile still present upon her lips. "They are quite amusing. I enjoy their company, as strange as that may sound."

Her sister, Arwen, laughed. "It is not strange. I know you are tiring of this life. I see it in your eyes—the world calls you. You will grasp any string you can of this world, whether it be in the guests here in Rivendell or the news they bring… or the letters others send."

Avalain sighed, reminded of Legolas with this last. She missed him more dearly in that moment than she had in a long while. "You are right," she sighed. "If only there were something I could do to change the way it is."

"I might be able to give you a little help with that," remarked Arwen, holding out an armful of blankets. "I was sent by Father to deliver these to the Dwarves… I see, however, that you are simply wishing for an excuse to join them."

"Are you sure?" questioned Avalain, finally turning to face her sister.

"Quite," answered Arwen, a cryptic smile overtaking her. "There is no benefit to me bringing them—I, for one, am not quite sure what to make of the Dwarves. And since it appears you have already made up your mind, I see no reason to detain you from what you wish to do now."

After a dubious glance at her sister, Avalain accepted Arwen's answer. She relieved Arwen of the many blankets and smiled. "Thank you."

"Of course…"

Arwen walked gracefully away, her silver dress lightly sparkling in the moonlight. Avalain, now with the many blankets in her hands, decided not to delay at all. She set off for the place the Dwarves were resting; it was quite easy to locate seeing as they had started a bright fire and were laughing loudly where it burned.

When she arrived, the Dwarves were sitting in a large circle, although there were a number of them missing… Avalain noticed that Thorin, Balin, Bilbo, and Kira were absent, leaving only ten out of fourteen. Most of them were sitting upon their sleeping rolls, but Bombur was perched atop a wooden table, a number of fruits in his arms.

Avalain laughed to herself and continued walking towards the Dwarves. That, however, was when she heard Bofur shout, "Bombur, catch!" She watched from behind the blankets as a sausage flew through the air to the round Dwarf—

She cried out a warning as soon as she heard the first creak. But without any further delay, the table crumpled underneath Bombur, sending him sprawling on his back.

Avalain cried out and dropped the blankets. She picked up her white skirts and rushed to the Dwarf, offering him a hand. He grasped it and, somehow, Avalain was able to lift the heavyset Bombur back to his feet.

"Are you all right?" she fussed as she offered him a blanket. Fortunately, he reassured her that he felt fine.

Once she knew everything was all right, she finally recognized that the other Dwarves were almost choking with laughter.

"Shame on you," sighed Avalain as she bent to pick up the blankets she had dropped. "You should be helping poor Bombur, not laughing at his misfortune!"

"Ah, relax, princess," said Dwalin gruffly. "He's all right. No need for fretting."

She began distributing the blankets and said, behind the large stack of them, "As glad as I am to hear he's no worse for wear, I **_am_** in the charge of taking care of the lot of you while you are here."

With that, she finished passing out blankets. Because of Thorin's, Balin's, Bilbo's, and Kira's absence, she had four left over; she piled them neatly upon a chair nearby and asked, "Where are the others?"

"Conversing with your father, I believe," answered Kili.

"About what?"

"A certain adventure," said Fili, who held an apple in his hands. Upon noting it, the She-Elf raised a suspicious eyebrow. The Dwarf noticed where her gaze was and snickered. "Worry not, princess. You have my word that I shall not throw **_this_** one at you."

"And what is that worth?" bantered Avalain with a smile. "The word of a Dwarf?"

Fili gasped with great exaggeration, clutching his heart with his free hand. The Dwarves began to laugh at this again, and once more, Avalain was unable to restrain a smile at his crazed antics.

"You are certainly something," she huffed without conviction, shaking her head.

"Kind of you to notice, Star Lady."

"**_Star Lady_**?" repeated Avalain bemusedly. "What makes you call me that?"

Fili pointed at her. "One, your dress is as white as the starlight. Two, even Dwarves know that out of the four of Elrond's children, his youngest is the patroness of the stars and moon. And three, you are just as lovely as one."

Avalain blinked and glanced down at the floor, rather startled by his last comment. She couldn't help but feel a light flush travel to her cheeks… she hoped it wasn't terribly noticeable. To avoid looking at him for another moment, she took a look at her dress—it was one of her favorites, a long gown of white with long lace sleeves that dragged across the pavilion.

Knowing that she couldn't hide her face from him forever, Avalain took a deep breath and glanced back at the Dwarf, whose expression was surprisingly soft. Her voice quiet, she replied, "You flatter me. And… you may call me that if you wish."

Fili's smile grew more genuine. He did not reply—he simply bit into the apple in his hand.

The unmistakable sound of footsteps drawing nearer prevented the She-Elf from saying anything more. Knowing that it would be Thorin, his goddaughter, Balin, and Bilbo who would be arriving, she chose instead to remain silent and wait for them to emerge.

And emerge they did—Thorin appeared first, swiftly followed by Balin. Both of the Dwarves looked highly troubled. The hobbit appeared afterwards; he was the first of these three to notice Avalain was present.

Apparently confused on how to address her, the hobbit bowed. Avalain laughed, charmed by his manners, and said, "You are kind, Bilbo Baggins, but I am no one you need bow to."

The hobbit smiled, looking pleased and embarrassed. "My apologies. It is not every day that you meet the very lady who guards the nighttime and speaks with the stars. But I have heard of legends," he added thoughtfully, "about how she who watches the night is also she who loves the day, and often laughs at the sunrise?"

She smiled again and looked over the pavilion into the deep blue of the sky. "I have been given many titles… Avalain the Joyful, Messenger of the Stars, the Lady of the Nighttime. I do enjoy the daytime, though the nighttime is what I prefer. I love the subtle light of the stars and moon better than I do the blinding light of day."

"Avalain the Joyful?" repeated Fili's voice.

Avalain nodded wryly and looked at Fili as she said, "That was what my people called me when I was a child. I was a very careless girl, believe it or not."

"How old are you?" asked Bofur. "I'm **_still_** not certain how Elvish aging works…"

Avalain hiccupped, her amber eyes glinting with amusement. "In truth, I do not blame you. I may look like a young woman to you, but I have walked this earth for near two-thousand years... one thousand nine hundred and twenty-two years, to be exact."

A few Dwarves whistled in astonishment at the number, but it was Bilbo Baggins who first spoke what they were all thinking: "Does the passage of all that time not bother you?"

She simply shrugged. "It does not come across my mind. It is unfathomable to you, I presume, to live a thousand years. It is unfathomable to me to live only one hundred."

The Dwarves were silent with this answer, seemingly lost in thought. Avalain could not help but want to know what was running through their minds… she hoped that they were enjoying their time in Rivendell as much as she was enjoying hosting them.

Avalain took the newfound silence as the cue that it was time to bid them farewell. With a light smile, she reminded the Dwarves of the blankets upon the chair, and that if there was anything else she could do to help them to simply let her know, and turned to leave.

She couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she walked back up to her bed. Her thoughts whirled on one thing in particular, despite her attempts to banish it from her mind… that silly title of "Star Lady."

Never before had Avalain ever accepted the titles that had been bestowed on her by her family or her people. She had never truly liked any of them—but for some reason, this one stuck with her, as simple as it might be.

Normally, the sounds of chirping crickets and the rushing waterfall helped to calm Avalain's mind and set her to sleep… but this night, they did anything but. Her eyes remained wide open and her mind remained active, even after two hours of attempting to rest.

At last, however, she was forced to acknowledge that sleep would not find her yet. Avalain sighed and rose from her bed, hoping that a walk around the Homely House's gardens would make her weary and set her thoughts at ease.

Avalain tiptoed out of the House, doing everything in her power to not disturb her father or her sister or Lindir. But the moment she was outside, Avalain took a deep breath—she could smell the dampness of the spring night. A smile involuntarily made its way to her face, and she began singing to herself, the lullaby that Legolas used to sing to her when she was little and they were hiding from thunderstorms.

The gardens seemed to respond to her as she sang; white flowers reached out to her, and the trees' rustling ceased as she passed. Avalain had always loved these gardens, it was one of her favorite things about her home city…

She made her way into the labyrinth of hedges that were on the edges of the gardens. Avalain reached out a hand, lightly skimming the lush leaves that comprised of the hedge walls. Ever since she was little she had been caring for these plants; she loved them dearly, and it was with great relief that she felt they were still alive and well.

After another couple minutes of walking, Avalain reached the center of the labyrinth, within which was her **_other_** favorite gazebo. While the other one was exceptional for stargazing, the She-Elf could always count on this spot to lead her to privacy.

Still humming softly to herself, she stood underneath the white roof, gazing out towards the horizon. The tallest waterfall, her hiding spot with Legolas, was just beyond view. She smiled to herself, wondering when they would be sitting there next…

That was when she felt rather than saw a presence.

Avalain abruptly stopped humming and turned back to where she had come from—the air vanished from her lungs as she exclaimed, "Fili!"

The Dwarf smiled sheepishly and held up his hands in a surrendering gesture. "I heard someone singing. It was beautiful, I had to see who…"

A blush crept upon Avalain's face; she looked away.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to wake or disturb you."

"You did nothing of the sort, I promise."

The sincerity within the Dwarf's voice prompted Avalain to turn and regard him again. She saw that he was looking out to the waterfall. While she knew there was no way he could know that her and Legolas's hiding spot existed, she couldn't help but feel like he was looking directly at it.

Longing to break the silence that had formed between them, the She-Elf asked, "Is everything alright with you and your companions?"

"Quite," was her answer. "I simply found myself unable to sleep. My thoughts were… restless."

With these last few words, he looked towards Avalain, as if wondering if she had undergone the same thing. She nodded to answer his unspoken question; his shoulders relaxed slightly, and all was quiet for another moment… until—

"I've always wondered a few things about Elves, you know," he said suddenly, breaking his gaze from the waterfall and directing it back to the woman in front of him. "May I ask you about some things I've heard?"

Avalain's grin returned, for the sole reason that she had been wanting to ask him the same thing about Dwarves. And so she replied, "If I might ask you a few things about **_your _**people, absolutely."

She sat down on one of the benches underneath the gazebo and gestured to the one across from her. Fili smiled and took his seat too, and they began conversing: Fili began by questioning about the magic that Elves used to keep their horses alive even past their normal lifespan, and Avalain asked about the treasures the Dwarves had uncovered under the mountains. He asked about Elven constellations, and she about how they built cities carved in stone—and they continued to go back and forth, each of them fascinated with what they were learning.

While it did not feel like long at all since they had begun talking, before too much longer, the darkness of the midnight began to recede, and the barest glints of sunlight began to emerge from the east. When the She-Elf and the Dwarf realized how long they must have been sitting together, they exchanged astonished looks.

"I didn't mean to keep you up this late," mused Fili, his eyes locked on the slowly arriving sunrise.

Avalain was silent. Her eyes were upon **_him_**; his eyes were an entrancing dark brown, and the way that he smiled ever so slightly at the horizon was endearing. She had loved their conversation—every bit about it.

When he glanced back in her direction, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "One more question for each of us, then?"

"Fair enough," he replied, a light in his eyes. "You first."

Avalain brushed her hand through her hair, suddenly all too aware that he was watching her. She thought for a moment or two before realizing what it was she wanted to ask: "What is Erebor like?"

Fili sighed and shrugged. "I actually don't know. Neither Kili nor I were born when the dragon took it over. We were born in the Blue Mountains… but we know what the Mountain means to our people, and so we are going to help take it back."

The conviction with which he said this made a chill run up Avalain's spine. This was a dangerous quest, beyond any doubt—and the fact that he was going despite having no personal connection to Erebor was a testament to his spirit.

Noting that he was waiting for a response, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair again. "I… it speaks volumes about your character that you are going on this journey, Fili. To risk your life for a home you never knew is…"

"Foolish?" he finished with a light smirk.

"No!" she spluttered as he began to laugh. "No, it's brave."

Fili shrugged again. "Sometimes there's a fine line between bravery and foolishness." Then, before Avalain could either agree or argue the point further, he stated, "Now, this question might be a bit off-kilter to the ones we've asked previously. But—is it true that on nights of the full moon, Elves take part in outdoor orgies and drink wine that's been aged exactly one-hundred years?"

Avalain blinked once and then burst into laughter. The question was simply so **_absurd_**, she couldn't stop herself. She threw a hand to her mouth to stifle the ridiculous giggles that wouldn't seem to stop coming.

Finally regaining control of herself, she cried, "By the Valar, **_no_**_! _That is not true at all. Where on earth did you hear something like that?"

The Dwarf simply smiled as he looked across her, his eyes drinking in everything about the She-Elf in front of him.

"Oh, nowhere. I simply made that up because I wanted to hear you laugh."

Avalain bit her bottom lip as she stared at her companion. "How come?"

"I wanted to see if your laughter was as beautiful as the rest of you."

Avalain's flush returned, twice as horribly as the last. She was certain that even in the dim light of the breaking dawn, he would be able to see how red her face was becoming—she moved to brush her hand through her hair again… and was stopped by Fili grabbing her hand.

She looked, startled, into his eyes as he held onto her hand.

"I know that's your nervous quirk," he remarked simply, a knowing look on his face. "You don't need to hide your face."

Her breath became shallow as he held onto her hand, his thumb lightly brushing the inside of her wrist. She couldn't help but feel incredibly comfortable… there was something about Fili that made Avalain feel like she could speak to him for hours more, about a wide variety of topics. Although they had first met each other under the pretense of bantering and facetiousness, it was clear that he was someone very different: someone genuine, with a heart of gold.

She squeezed his hand once and, with the slightest of smiles, murmured, "I enjoyed our talk tonight, Fili. You are… different."

He chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "I hope you mean a good kind of different."

"Yes," she laughed, placing her second hand atop the one she was already holding. "Yes, in the best kind of way. And you are certainly very charming, I doubt you'll let me forget **_that_**_…_"

Fili was the one to laugh now. He squeezed her hand too and released it from her grasp before sighing and gazing over in the direction of where his kinsmen were likely sleeping. Turning back to Avalain, he murmured, "Good morning, Star Lady."

She shook her head, restraining a grin upon realizing that he was right; it **_was _**the morning. And with that, the Dwarf waved farewell and left the heart of the labyrinth.

Once he was gone, Avalain sat still and looked around at the hedges surrounding her. She felt warm, despite the night's chilly breeze brushing against her skin. It was unlike anything she'd experienced before; and it both frightened and intrigued her.

One thing was for certain, however; if this was how she would feel after only one day of the Dwarves' presence, she was sure to continue feeling both scared and excited in the days to come.


	4. Chapter 4

The following morning, Avalain was promptly engaged by Lindir, who proceeded to scold her about distributing the blankets to the Dwarves the previous night.

"Avalain, **_please_**_._ I'm worried about them harming you, I only want what is in your best interest," exclaimed the advisor, his brown eyes widened in both exasperation and worry. "Will you not listen to me?"

"Lindir, I am grateful for your concern, but I do believe you are being a bit dramatic," replied Avalain with a sigh. However much she cared for Lindir, her patience was beginning to wear thin, especially since she had every intent of visiting the Dwarves again later that day.

"Me? Dramatic?" repeated Lindir, as if he didn't believe her.

Avalain had to chuckle—he was **_nothing_** if not dramatic. "Yes, my friend, dramatic. You do not need to worry over me like my father. Besides, I must return their weapons to them since they have been cleaned and sharpened."

Lindir scowled, but did not have an immediate response, which allowed Avalain to wave him farewell and escape from his sight.

The She-Elf did not stop jogging away until she turned the next few corners. But even then, she wondered if Lindir would follow her; she stealthily glanced back and was gladdened to see he had left her alone.

With a sigh of relief, Avalain doubled back to grab the first batch of sharpened weapons. If she carried the smallest number as possible, she might be able to get an extra trip in—

She stopped short, wondering why she was unconsciously planning to take more time than was needed to deliver the Dwarves' supplies. Of course she had a feeling as to why, but she knew that it would be unwise to indulge in it, as tempting as it might be…

Hesitantly, she set off again. She was troubled as she seized the weapons, wondering why she was growing so attached to the strange folk so **_quickly_**_…_ All the same, Avalain carried as many weapons as was safe, and set off for where the Dwarves were dwelling. The last she'd heard, they'd been in the gardens, laughing about something.

Five minutes later, Avalain could see the outlines of the Dwarves. They were all crowding around the main fountain in the gardens. She smiled a little to herself upon hearing their rowdiness—but that smile faded as she drew closer, uncertain as to what they were doing.

Avalain tentatively placed the weapons on a bench and stalked closer. She opened her mouth to ask what they were doing in the fountain when it became all too obvious—

"AIGH!" she shrieked, throwing her hands up to her eyes and promptly turning away. Her mirth morphed to anger upon realizing they were **_bathing_** in the main fountain: her favorite one, nonetheless.

The woman stumbled around for a moment before she heard a familiar voice ask leisurely, and no more than four feet away, "Problem, Star Lady?"

"**_Yes_**_!_" shouted Avalain, taking great care to keep her eyes shut. "What are you all **_doing_**_! _This is an Elvish fountain, not a bath house!"

She could feel rather than see Fili's grin grow wicked. "Well, you see, that's just the thing. There don't seem to be any bath houses around these parts—"

"Showers," moaned Avalain. "We have **_showers_** here! You only needed to ask! Also, please direct me away from this scene. The last thing I need is to have Lindir appear, he'll never let me hear the end of this if he comes…"

Fili laughed; his footsteps proved that he was getting closer to help lead her away—

"Wait!" exclaimed Avalain. "You… you **_are_** clothed, aren't you?"

"I would swear it on Durin's grave," replied the Dwarf, a detectable laugh in his voice.

She sighed, shaking. "All right then. Please… help…"

With another chuckle, Fili gently grabbed one of her hands and placed the other on the small of her back. He then guided her underneath a tree so she might sit down and not have to lay eyes on the scene. By this time, the others had noticed she was present, and many were shouting a "good morning" to her as she ambled away.

Avalain could have sworn one of them threatened her with a hug.

When at last she was sitting down again, the She-Elf opened her eyes. She blinked once and saw Fili standing next to her, a grin on his face. Upon seeing her eyes open, he said, "Don't worry—it's just me."

"I'm glad," sighed Avalain, placing a hand to her head. As terrible as the situation was with his kinsmen, she would be lying if she were to say she didn't feel comforted upon seeing him. All the same, she knew she had to conceal such a vulnerability, and so she scoffed, "Honestly, Fili, don't Dwarves have showers?"

"No. Often we don't even take baths."

"Oh, well, that **_is_** charming," muttered Avalain under her breath.

Fili opened his mouth to respond, but just then Kili tromped into view. Luckily, he was wearing clothes—pants and an undershirt—but he was also sopping wet. The grass underneath him went _squelch, squelch, squelch _as he walked over to his brother and the Elvish woman.

"Good morning!" he exclaimed, a boyish grin on his face.

Avalain shook her head hopelessly. "I suppose it is a good morning whether I want it or not!" she retorted, crossing her arms. "Seeing as everyone is so intent that this morning be good."

The Dwarves laughed; Avalain seized the opportunity to add, "To think I was merely trying to return your weapons! What kind of thanks was that?"

"A very hearty one," answered Kili complacently.

"A very unexpected one, I'm sure," corrected Fili, raising an eyebrow in his younger brother's direction. "I'm sure you were a great help in welcoming Avalain here just a few minutes ago."

"I was indeed. I'm sure she was thrilled," said Kili, a smug grin on his face.

"Actually, I believe she **_wasn't_**_._"

"Was too."

"Why don't you go splash in the fountain some more?"

Avalain scoffed and buried her head in her arms with a groan. "The lengths I go to for you Dwarves," she muttered, though neither of them heard her. They were too busy arguing.

Just then, a familiar and angry voice exclaimed, "What is the meaning of this?!"

The trio underneath the tree froze. Avalain's eyes widened as she peered out from behind the tree trunk—only to find her worst fears confirmed. Lindir was standing close to the fountain, and her father was by his side. Of course it had been Lindir to exclaim in shock and outrage; luckily, his back was to her, but he only needed to turn around to see her.

"Oh, no!" she whispered a look of horror plastered upon her face. "If he sees me, I'll be in such trouble!"

"If who sees you, your father?" asked Kili.

"No, **_Lindir_**_! _Oh, he'll give me the longest lecture to date—"

The brothers exchanged mischievous looks, and then Kili exclaimed, "Don't worry, Avalain. I believe I'll be able to get you out of this little pickle. After all, you did sharpen my knives!"

Before Fili or Avalain could say anything to protest what he was about to do, Kili rose and _squelched _his way back over to the other Dwarves. He looked back for a fleeting second to shoot the remaining duo a thumbs-up before inhaling deeply and shouting, "**_INCOMING_**_!_"

And with that, he ran forward and cannonballed into the fountain.

A large _SPLASH! _Water spilled out of the fountain in a large geyser; much of it landed over the already wet Dwarves, although some of it did manage to soak Lindir and Lord Elrond. While Avalain's father only looked mildly irritated, Lindir's rage could've been compared to that of a dragon.

Knowing that Kili's tomfoolery was meant to be a distraction, Fili seized Avalain's hand and whispered, "Hurry, let's get out of here!"

Once she was up, they quietly ran to the side, Lindir's angry shouts to the Dwarves following them until they were out of earshot.

As soon as they knew they were safe, they burst into laughter.

"I see now," Fili managed to choke in between gasps for breath, "why you fear your father's advisor more than your father himself."

Avalain clutched at a stitch in her side as she responded, "You should hear how long he can lecture me for!"

They laughed for another moment before Avalain straightened and took a deep breath. She gazed back where they had come from and had to admit she was a little worried about the aftermath of Kili's foolhardiness. "Well… we might as well see what has occurred. I hope your brother hasn't gotten himself into any sort of ridiculous trouble."

"Won't they see us?" questioned Fili.

A smirk took over Avalain's lips. "Oh, I don't think so. Follow me!"

Without waiting for a reply, she rushed to a staircase and began to ascend, knowing that at the top there would be a good vantage point into the gardens.

Half a minute later they were there: "Look," said Avalain, pointing down. She stifled laughter with a thin-lipped grimace upon seeing that Lindir and her father were gone, and the Dwarves had returned to bathing and splashing in the fountain.

"By the Valar," she sighed, shaking her head. "I cannot believe your friends are still horsing around in our most beloved fountain!"

Fili laughed as he watched the Dwarves stack themselves upon another's shoulders and begin to play a rather dangerous wrestling game. "They mean no harm by it, Avalain, although I do recognize that it is disrespectful. I apologize to you on their behalf."

The smallest trace of a smile threatened to come over her mouth, however much she attempted to restrain. "You need do no such thing, Fili. I do appreciate your kind words, though, and the thought behind them."

He smiled and sat down at the edge of the vantage point that Avalain had led them to. After a brief silence, he murmured, "My people aside, the view is lovely."

Avalain decided to sit next to him and gaze out where he had—below, she saw the clusters of flowers that she and Arwen had planted many years past. Petals of white, blue, purple, and yellow shone up at them even from so far away. The trees were large and thriving—and just in front of them were the hedges, the white tip of the gazebo that she and Fili had been conversing in the previous night just barely visible.

She found herself pointing to where sparkles of silver flashed, glimmering in the midday sun.

"Do you see those silver leaves? My brothers Elrohir and Elladan and I thought that there was too much green in the gardens at one point. We decided to paint some of the plants silver to make it more appealing. When my father found out, he decided it was well enough to make the change permanent."

Fili chuckled at the story and asked, "Where are your brothers? I haven't seen them or heard of their presence."

The She-Elf smiled sadly, thinking of her two elder siblings. She had not seen them in a number of years now…

"They are to the north, living with the Dunédain Rangers," she replied, exhaling slowly. Her gaze turned northward, towards the mountain ranges that lay beyond the valley. "I have not seen them in near two hundred years now."

"I'm sorry to hear that," responded the Dwarf, gazing at her sorrowful face. "Perhaps one day soon they shall come back."

Avalain smiled, charmed by the Dwarf's optimism, but said nothing. She knew that it would be many more years before she could be reunited with Elladan and Elrohir; they had been sent to the Dunédain Rangers by Gandalf, who had declared that one day, they would need to train a young man named Aragorn.

The next words she spoke escaped her lips before she even recognized she was saying them: "Tell me of an adventure you had with Kili."

Fili grinned widely and immediately began to regale her with a tale of how, when he and Kili had only just become of age and Kira was still a young teenager, the three Dwarves spotted a goblin spy on the edges of the Blue Mountains. He and Kili attempted to tell Thorin about its presence, but their uncle didn't believe them—so the sons of Dis took it upon themselves to exterminate the threat, and Kira forced a place for herself among them.

Avalain listened intently as Fili described the dilapidated fortress within which the goblins took refuge; her eyes widened as he described how the fight that broke out inside was Kira's first—how Kili took a blow to the arm that should've been meant for Fili—how the two of them got captured… and how Kira managed to sneak to a spot above the goblin leader, jump upon it, and kill it with a single blow.

"She saved us that day," Fili concluded, his look seemingly a thousand miles away. "She was our hero. Kili and I used to treat her… well… let's just say that since that day, the three of us have been close with one another."

When it was clear that he was finished speaking, Avalain let out the breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. To hear of such a death-defying mission when the three of them were all so **_young_** was incredible; and the fact that they all made it out alive and relatively unscathed, even more so.

"Thank you for telling me that story," said the She-Elf.

Fili blinked, as if he had been suddenly brought back to the present. He looked at Avalain's face and seemed to remember himself; he smiled.

"I wish I had interesting stories to tell like that," sighed Avalain wistfully. "The closest thing I have is a story about when I got stuck in a bog with my childhood friend, Legolas."

"On the contrary, I'm glad you don't have any stories similar to mine."

This comment rather startled Avalain—she cocked her head sideways and simply asked, "Why?"

"Because stories like that… most of the time they don't have a happy ending. Someone gets hurt: permanently. Someone dies. We were incredibly lucky that night. I thought it would be the last night of my life, and I'm sure Kili felt the same way. The fact that you've never had to face that fear, that possibility that looks more and more certain with each second that passes… that is good, Avalain. I would not wish it on anyone, **_especially_** not you."

Noting how pale Fili seemed, Avalain placed a hand on top of his in an attempt to comfort him. His eyes landed on her hand—but he wasted no time in lacing his fingers within her own.

For another moment or so, the She-Elf and the Dwarf sat contentedly upon the ledge overlooking the property of Rivendell's Homely House. It was barely midday, which brought Avalain a spark of peace. She could have a good amount of time with Fili still, if she was lucky.

"I believe someone is calling you," Fili mentioned.

Avalain shook her head, drawn from her reverie, and realized that he was right. Lindir's voice was calling for her—why, she had no idea, but she knew it wouldn't do well to keep him waiting.

With a sigh, she explained to her companion, "It's Lindir."

Fili snickered.

One of Avalain's eyebrows raised as she exclaimed, "Is there something you hold against my father's advisor?"

"No, there is nothing that I hold against him. He does, however, amuse me."

Avalain wanted both to laugh and to scold him. On the one hand, Lindir was indeed quite the character. On the other, she was certain that if he knew he was the subject of a Dwarf's amusement, Lindir would be horrified—not to mention that despite his over-protective tendencies, he was one of her oldest friends. And so, for her own curiosity, she insisted, "And why does he amuse you?"

There was a brief silence, during which it seemed like Fili was deliberating on whether or not he should answer. Finally, when Avalain was sure he would not, he blurted out, "I just—I find it amusing that he follows you around like a lost pup."

"I—what?" she exclaimed, swiftly retracting her hand from where it rested in his own. "Lindir is one of my greatest friends, that is true, but why would you say such a thing about him?"

"Because it's **_true_**_, _Avalain. He cares about you deeply; more than you seem to realize. He follows you because he loves you."

Avalain inhaled sharply and stammered, "N… no, that cannot be true."

Fili laughed and shook his head: "I do not blame him at all for that. It is too easy to care about you, Avalain. Almost frighteningly so."

The She-Elf felt her face grow warm, yet again. Off in the distance, Lindir's voice could still be heard.

"I should address that…" she sighed, choosing to put Fili's assumptions about Lindir aside. After all, if her friend had something to say to her, he could say it himself.

She turned aside to descend the staircase… and happened to lay eyes on her favorite stargazing gazebo. Somehow, she knew that once the evening arrived, she would be searching for an excuse to find Fili again. Thus, she rushed back to him and gently turned his head in the direction of her favorite stargazing spot.

"Do you see that gazebo there, to your left? That is the best place to stargaze in the entire city. It's become a tradition of mine to visit it every evening once the sun disappears entirely."

The Dwarf smiled endearingly and nodded. She knew that he understood.

With the unspoken promise of spending more time with him later, Avalain allowed herself to part ways with Fili and go locate Lindir, wherever he was waiting for her.


	5. Chapter 5

It turned out that Lindir was requesting her assistance with cleaning the pavilion from the previous night's food-fight, since the servants had fled their posts for fear of being bombarded by their own dinners. As they cleaned, her friend gave her an impromptu lesson on the Entish language, since he knew that that was her current course of study and that she enjoyed it greatly.

Once the pavilion was clear and the linguistics lesson was over, Avalain bade Lindir thanks and a good day and moved to go outside. She smiled seeing that the sun was beginning to set… it would not be much longer before she would be with Fili again. The thought made her happier than she had believed it would.

Until it was time for her to go to the gazebo, however, Avalain thought it would be beneficial for her to check on her flowers in the garden.

When she arrived, she noticed the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, was sitting on one of the benches by the flowerbeds, writing in a journal. She smiled as she approached and greeted him with, "Good afternoon, Master Baggins."

Bilbo jolted; a splotch of ink landed on the parchment in his lap. But he didn't seem disappointed. On the contrary, a large smile came over his face as he returned, "Good afternoon to you as well, Avalain. What brings you here?"

"I have just escaped from a few chores," she laughed, "and I was intending to check upon my beloved flowers. How is Rivendell treating you?"

"Wonderfully," sighed the hobbit. "Truly, I wish I did not have to leave."

At this, the She-Elf smiled and gazed over the horizon. While her city was peaceful, she was jealous of the hobbit's ability to accompany the Dwarves to Erebor. Were she able to do the same, she would not have had to worry about the fact that Rivendell would likely return to its normal routine once the Dwarves left.

All she said, however, was, "It is a lovely place, but I would trade you spots today were I able…"

Bilbo looked shocked. "Why do you say that?"

"I've longed to see what lies beyond this city's gates for a long time. The only places I've ever been are Lothlórien and the Greenwood…"

Avalain's expression grew wistful and nostalgic as she tried to recollect the faint memories of past travels; hearing that Bilbo was silent, she then asked, "How are the Dwarves taking to this place? I take it Thorin Oakenshield is keen upon leaving soon…"

"I don't know about Thorin," responded the hobbit slowly. The slightest of knowing smiles appeared upon his face, however, as he added, "But I know that his nephews are less than eager to leave."

Avalain blinked and cocked her head sideways, wondering if Bilbo Baggins perhaps knew something she didn't expect him to.

"Indeed," he continued, suddenly taking great interest in his journal. His quill scratched on the parchment as he said, "They seem to like it here—Fili in particular. He enjoys the peace."

"That's good to hear," murmured Avalain softly. She stared at the hobbit pointedly and, once he caught her eye, raised an eyebrow.

The hobbit merely grinned and shrugged.

Avalain could not help but laugh at his play-acting. Trying not to flush, she exclaimed, "You are terrible, Master Baggins."

"I have **_no_** idea what you refer to," he retorted, closing the cover of his journal. "All I'm saying is that Rivendell seems to have brought my friend to great spirits."

"And have the others… seemed to pick up on said great spirits?"

Bilbo thought for a moment, the tip of his quill brushing against his chin, before replying, "I don't believe so. There is one stereotype about Dwarves that I can confirm—they are oftentimes incredibly obtuse."

The She-Elf couldn't restrain her mirth at that. She and the hobbit laughed together; this was another member of Thorin Oakenshield's company that Avalain would love to know better.

Once again, she found herself wishing there would be more time. More time to make new friends, more time to talk to others about adventures in far off places…

She sighed and glanced back to the hobbit only to see that he had been watching her face carefully, his eyebrows furrowed. Noting that there were unspoken wishes upon her face, he softly remarked, "I know we still have a number of days before we are to continue on our journey."

Avalain smiled again, although it was sad.

"Yes, so I assumed. And yet, so I feared…"

She sighed softly to herself, her heart heavy with the recollection that this new change to Rivendell, to her daily life, was only temporary, despite how long she wished for it to stay. Her eyes gazed out over the horizon—she was startled to realize that it was nearing dark already.

The smile upon her face grew slightly more real as she stated, "I thank you for chatting with me, Bilbo, yet there is something I must attend to. Let me know if there is anything I may yet do for you."

Although she had not said what it was she had to attend to, Bilbo Baggins seemed to know exactly what it was. He was certainly a most observant hobbit.

"Of course, Avalain. Good evening to you!"

With this farewell in hand, the She-Elf picked up her silver skirts and darted off. There was no one else on the trails as she proceeded to her gazebo, a fact that was probably for the best, seeing as she was having a rather hard time keeping a silly smile off her face.

Only a couple minutes later, the sun had all but disappeared; the moment Avalain arrived, she heard her Dwarf's voice exclaim, "You're right. This **_is_** the best place to stargaze in the entire city."

Avalain restrained a gasp as she whirled around. Her heart leapt to see Fili leaning against one of the gazebo's legs, concealed by some of the shadows, his eyes on the stars above.

Avalain wasted no time in sitting upon the bench next to him and turned her eyes to the white stars above. She felt his hand brush ever so lightly against her shoulder—quietly, she mused, "I used to teach Elvish children the constellations of our people here. Even after they have all been taught, I find it comforting here."

"I can see why. And hear it as well. It's rather quiet here. Peaceful—it's a nice change."

Avalain looked at him sideways and jested, "Even you have enough of Dwarves after a time, do you?"

She was answered with a lopsided grin: "It would be astonishing if I didn't. Besides, they've decided that Elvish wine suits their taste, and I'm not an avid wine drinker… you'll want to inform your father that he'll need to hide the rest of his barrels."

The woman sighed and shook her head, though in truth she had expected nothing less. "Even if I were to warn him, I believe your kinsmen would simply find the barrels a second time."

A smirk replaced the grin upon the Dwarf's face. "Unearthing jewels in the mountains teaches people how to find hidden things of value."

"I have no doubt of that," she muttered, bemusedly shaking her head. With a smile etched across her face, she gazed out over the valley—the waterfall was sparkling silver in the faint light of the moon, which was merely a sliver. As she looked up, however, Avalain noticed that the stars were unusually bright.

Fili seemed to notice the same thing as she. He took a special interest in one of the brightest stars there; he pointed at it. "I believe **_that_** is the star of Eärendil?"

Avalain blinked and turned to face the Dwarf in astonishment.

"How did you—"

"Unlike my brother, I actually enjoyed our studies from when we were younger. The stars were one of the stranger yet more interesting topics that surfaced, so I recall most of what was taught."

Avalain blinked again. She was more impressed than perhaps she ought to be. "I must confess that I am pleasantly surprised to hear this," she murmured at last, not quite sure what else to say.

"You shouldn't be, truthfully, it's just a star."

"Just a star?" repeated Avalain as a gasp. Returning her attention to the heavens above, she murmured, "A star is much more than anyone might think. It is guidance, light, untouchable beauty… history and memory and life. It is many things."

Fili shook his head—Avalain was able to hear rather than see the smirk upon his face as he remarked, "I would expect an Elf to say as much."

"Did you expect anything different from the one whom you know as the patroness of starlight?"

"Not at all, I assure you. And in truth, I enjoy hearing you talk about the things you are passionate about. You get an endearing crinkle on your nose."

Avalain giggled lightly, closing her eyes and leaning back into him. "I suppose it could not be helped even if I tried. After all… they **_are_** lovely."

"I still say the lady before me is lovelier."

The She-Elf smiled and once again shook her head, refusing to open her eyes.

"You don't believe me?" he queried. She heard footsteps and felt the bench shift, letting her know that he was sitting beside her now.

Avalain sighed, finally opening her eyes again. Seeing that he was gazing at her, she moved to run a hand through her hair… and stopped herself, remembering what he had said the previous night.

And yet, even though he was with her and everything felt right in her world, Avalain could not banish the glaring truth that these feelings were only temporary. She was already hopelessly invested; she could not afford to continue down that path.

Thus, she could only stammer, "I… I simply do not know if I can—after all, before too much longer… I… you—"

Becoming frustrated with her words, Avalain silenced herself and pursed her lips. She had no idea how to express what she felt: that she wanted to believe him, that she liked how he made her feel, but that she couldn't fall to indulgence because before too much longer he would be gone and it would be for naught. She knew how to think the words, she just couldn't **_say_** them, and for that, she cursed herself.

Fili, however, did not seem as exasperated as she. He hesitantly reached out to grab her hand—she let him. That warm feeling she'd felt the previous night returned; Avalain bit her lip again. She wanted it to stay, she wanted **_more_**_, _but she knew she shouldn't.

She'd only known him for two days, it was silly to feel this way. It was silly to want more time with him because he was simply a guest of her city… and he would be leaving soon.

"Something is bothering you," he murmured, gazing at their hands, once more intertwined. His voice was soft, but certain.

"Yes," she responded simply. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled—then inhaled again. She took a moment to calm her thoughts. Then, when she was ready, she continued speaking. "I enjoy our time together, Fili, but it frightens me too."

The Dwarf didn't react as he questioned, "Why?"

"Because… what we are, right now… this is a thing unknown to me, and I do not know where it will lead," she confessed, refusing to look his direction. Her gaze settled upon the stars twinkling overhead, but not even their comforting light could return a smile to her face. "I fear it will bring nothing, when already all I want is… more. More of—**_this_**_._"

She gestured to his hand enveloped in her own. His eyes fell upon her hand resting in his, too, and his posture melted.

Avalain opened her mouth as if to continue speaking, but found that she actually had nothing more to say. So instead, she simply shook her head and closed her eyes, preparing for what Fili's expression would be.

Far from being disappointed or upset like she had feared, he looked hopeful.

"That is what I want, too," he replied, squeezing her hand. "Even when I first looked at you yesterday, I felt something change. I can't describe it—like a hint of a feeling. But I knew I had to… I wanted to know you."

The She-Elf smiled, once again comforted by his presence. It astounded her, how after only two days he seemed to simply understand.

"But soon you will be gone," she reminded him.

Fili nodded, the gesture a heavy one. "That is true. But… let's spend the time that I have here the way we would like to. We can see where it leads. And when it comes time for me to go… we can talk again."

Avalain was still uncertain—and it seemed that Fili was able to sense this, because he exclaimed, "I don't want to let go of something simply because we are afraid of what **_might_** be. That is no way to live."

The She-Elf blinked, stunned by the message these words held. She took a moment to gaze upon him and saw the genuine feelings that were there, clear upon his face. She was both amazed and startled to know that her feelings were not unreciprocated, despite the short length of time they'd known one another, and all the other things stacked up against them.

"Very well," she said at last, allowing him a small smile. "I would like that."

A larger smile replaced the tentative one that had been on Fili's face. The grip he held on Avalain's hand grew just a little tighter, and the warm feeling that Avalain was already treasuring grew a little bit more special.

For a brief moment they stayed like this; it was Fili who broke the silence by requesting, "Show me some of the constellations you used to teach your people's children."

And so she did—for minutes that turned into what felt like hours, Avalain pointed out some of the most beloved constellations of her people. The two ended up lying on their backs upon the ground so they might get a better view of the stars, and their hands were entwined the whole time.

Before long, the noise of the Dwarves grew louder; Avalain figured it was because they were getting drunker as the night progressed. But their cacophonies did not bother either her or Fili—they were too engulfed in their own conversations. It was almost as if they had their own little world underneath that gazebo, and Avalain made sure to treasure every second of it.

At last, when they had talked so much that there was little else for them to discuss, the two were silent. They stared up at the darkened sky, the stars above still shining bright, and with peace.

"You remind me of those stars," said Fili, his voice quiet.

The She-Elf moved her head so it rested by the Dwarf's shoulder and lazily asked, "Oh? How so?"

He was quiet for a moment—Avalain closed her eyes, feeling drowsy and comfortable. She felt a light kiss upon her forehead, and then heard him say, "You've been a bright light in the midst of this dangerous quest, offering warmth and guidance where I thought there would be none… and you're beautiful, Avalain, so incredibly beautiful. When I first laid eyes on you I thought you would be remote; I thought I would never truly get to speak to you, to have you as part of my life. And yet, here we are, and I already feel like we've known each other for years."

The smile that crept upon Avalain's face was more carefree than any other that she had expressed in a long, long time. Everything felt **_right_**_, _for once… and it was liberating.

Before she quite knew what was happening, she and Fili were sitting upright again, and he had one hand pressed against the side of her face. His thumb lightly trailed her lips—her gaze darted to his own—and suddenly he was kissing her, the gesture light but meaningful.

Avalain could not help but feel excruciating happiness… she loved the way he held her, the way he kissed her, like he really meant it: and it was made all the more special due to the validation that they each felt the same way about the other. It was evident in the way they talked, the desire to be with one another; simply everything that had yet happened.

"**_Fili._**"

The Dwarf gasped sharply and pulled away; Avalain yelped and did the same. The two whirled around to see none other than Thorin Oakenshield standing behind them, the expression on his face vaguely reminiscent of a dark storm cloud.

Fili swallowed, but did not let go of Avalain's hand as he exclaimed, "Uncle—"

"What in the seven hells do you think you're doing," interrupted the would-be king, his voice restrained but filled with disappointment. "She's an Elf."

"She is **_Avalain_**, and—"

"And **_nothing. _**You know perfectly well that the Elves are not our friends. They've betrayed us before, and you have no way of knowing that she will not follow in her kinsmen's footsteps. Even if she does not, she will be nothing for you. She can give you **_nothing_**."

Fili's grip on Avalain's hand grew tighter—his mouth formed a thin line, but his eyes became blank as he stoically said, "She could give me more than you know."

Thorin groaned and put his head in his hands, but was otherwise silent.

Avalain stared between her dear Dwarf and his uncle, feeling rather caught in the middle. She figured that if the tension hanging in the air was tangible, she would be able to cut it with a knife—hearing the silence, she jumped upon the opportunity to speak and defend herself.

"I am **_not _**the Elves who betrayed you, Thorin Oakenshield. Fili brings me great joy, and if I can be a source of joy to him, too, then—"

"It is not one-sided, Avalain Nightshade. Not only could you bring him nothing—he would bring you nothing as well."

Avalain blinked and held her head high, staring at him with devilishly defiant eyes. "How are you so certain?"

"Fili is the heir to the throne of Erebor. Once the mountain is reclaimed, he cannot leave it lest he abandon his people. If the two of you remain together, you will be all but forced to live in the mountain with him, forsaking all you know of the life you have lived for near two-thousand years."

The She-Elf froze, unaware of the fact that Fili was next in line to be King if and when Thorin were to perish. The warmth she normally felt by Fili's side vanished: a chill spread through her body as her gaze whirled back to her Dwarf, whose eyes were dejectedly closed, whose face was unbearably expressionless.

"It would be a great sacrifice on your part if you were to care for my nephew in this manner," Thorin murmured, though not unkindly. "You would stand to lose much for the promise of Fili's heart. I say this not to be cruel, but to help you understand the depth of the path you are on."

Avalain stared at Thorin, whose piercing blue eyes were not quite as stern anymore. Now, he almost looked as if he pitied her; and that in itself was torment. Hearing that Fili was silent, she squeezed his hand and whispered, "Is it true that you are in next in line to be King Under the Mountain?"

His eyes finally opened; within them she saw so many things… fear, anger, disappointment—but above all that, a clear longing.

"It is," he confessed. Avalain blinked; her eyes stung—seeing this, he quickly added, "But make no mistake, I care about you, Avalain. I refuse to let this potential be taken away from us."

Thorin sighed and walked over to his nephew, clapping a hand on his shoulder. The older Dwarf gazed over the horizon and, his voice no longer angry but solemn, declared, "When you are King, there are some things that must be done for the good of many rather than the good of one. When the time comes that I am gone, and you must be crowned, you must begin making decisions with **_all _**the perspectives aligned. If you are to marry this Elf, who would benefit? Would it help you rule your kingdom? Would she be truly happy, even fifty years beyond? Or would such a union only benefit you?"

Avalain shuddered at Thorin's words and looked upon the ground. She laid her head upon Fili's shoulder—he rested his cheek against her hair and wrapped an arm around her.

For a while, all was silent again, save for the drunken antics of the Dwarves below, and the chirping crickets that surrounded them. Were it any other night, Avalain would think of the ambiance as peaceful: but tonight, she could only describe it as unnerving.

Fili exhaled slowly, and kissed Avalain's forehead before meeting his Uncle's eyes. Then, his voice but a murmur, he said, "All these years, you've told me about my potential responsibilities, and I have tried to live up to your expectations. I've given up many things for the good of our people, and I will continue to do so. But **_this_**… out of the thousands of women I've met, giving up the **_one _**that I feel close with, the one that feels truly special… I draw the line here. I won't."

It took every fiber of Avalain's being not to burst into tears at his defense of her. She would of course have let him go, if he felt that his uncle was right, but she couldn't deny how relieved she felt by Fili's final verdict, even if it was selfish. She cared about him, too—she felt that **_he _**was special, and it would have been a dagger through the heart to relinquish that before she was ready.

Another silence… and then—

"Very well, Fili. I will not stop you, either of you… but remember what I have said. Whether you believe it or not, I only want what's best for you. For **_both _**of you."

And Thorin Oakenshield walked away, leaving Avalain and Fili alone again.

Once he was gone, Fili sighed and murmured, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I had no idea…"

"It's alright," she replied, running a hand through his blond hair. She placed her forehead against his, drinking in everything she could about his presence. She longed to feel the normal comfortability she felt alongside him—but after the conversation she had just beheld, it was proving to be incredibly difficult. "I simply… I did not know you were Thorin's heir."

"I should have told you," he sighed, his gaze full of regret. "But I was afraid of what it would mean once you knew. I didn't want it to change **_us_**."

Despite his sentiments, Avalain could not help but think on Thorin's words. Now that she knew Fili was the Prince of Erebor, she realized that being with him **_would _**drastically change her life.

If someday they were to be wed, Avalain would clearly have to live in Erebor. And when the day of his coronation would come, she had no idea how the Dwarves would react to an Elven woman as their Queen. She doubted they would love her; they might simply tolerate her, or, in the worst of cases, even despise her.

Even though she had long wished to see the outside world, choosing to live in it for the rest of her days would be a different idea entirely; and if she were to choose that path, it was possible that besides Fili, she would be unbearably alone in an unfamiliar place.

"Avalain?"

The Dwarf's voice was far away, but it brought her back to the present. She looked at him, at the concern in his eyes, and swallowed. This was hardly a conversation she wanted to have right after Thorin Oakenshield's interruption. She needed time to think about everything that had just happened…

Fili grabbed her hand again and softly asked, "What's wrong?"

"I… I just…"

But she could not finish. Her mouth went dry, and she simply shook her head, attempting and failing to put a smile on her face.

As it was, he seemed to see right through her. The light in his eyes dimmed. He squeezed her hand and murmured, "I wish I had been the one to tell you."

Avalain did not know what to respond to that; so she remained silent.

That silence reigned for another few minutes. She could feel that there were things each of them wanted to say, but did not have the courage required to actually speak. At least, she certainly felt that way—she wanted to ask whether she was truly worth the problems he would face by being with her, whether she would be able to make new friends in his kingdom if she desired… it was entirely possible that she could be happy in Erebor, but that future seemed so frightening to acknowledge.

"Perhaps I was wrong."

The She-Elf blinked and jerked her head back toward Fili, whose gaze was upon the ground, and gasped, "What?"

"When I said that we shouldn't let our fears get in the way of what we want," he clarified solemnly. "Perhaps I was wrong."

The tears that Avalain had managed to avoid throughout the night finally appeared, trailing down her cheeks. Her heart felt cold as she simply looked at Fili, whose posture and expression could only be described as defeated.

"Why do you say this?" she whispered, placing a hand upon his face.

"Because it is clear we are both afraid," he answered simply, looking at her fully. The youthful spark that was normally in his eyes was gone as he spoke. "Sooner or later we have to come to terms with the fact that I am a Dwarf, and you are an Elf, and our homelands are near on the opposite side of Middle-Earth. If we stay the way we are now, someday, one of us will have to leap into an unfamiliar land with unfamiliar people, and… in truth, Avalain, I see in your face that you believe it would be you—and the terrible thing is that it's likely you're right."

Fili sighed and squeezed her hand before releasing himself from her and standing up, looking out over the horizon. Avalain could only stare, her breathing shallow, as she waited for what he would say next, for certainly he was not finished.

"I am afraid of all you would have to give up to be with me. It would not be fair. It would not be right. And you are **_right _**to be frightened of that."

Avalain choked. "Fili—"

"I was selfish when I said we should put our fears aside." He turned back to look at her. There was anger in his face, as well as anguish; and it was apparent in his voice as he exclaimed, "I was never the one who had reason to be afraid. I should have… ended things there. For your best interest. But I didn't want to—because **_I _**had nothing to lose."

"Don't say that!" she cried, holding a hand to her neck. It felt like her heart had lodged itself in her throat, and it hurt… it hurt so much.

Fili sighed: a simple sound, but clearly filled with dread. Finally, he murmured, "I can't do that to you. I can't put you in a position where you would have to choose between me or everything else you know. It's probably best if…"

But he couldn't finish his sentence. Instead, he shrugged and turned as if to leave—

"Don't. Please. Don't leave like this."

Avalain's voice was shattered, and it cleared pained the Dwarf. His eyes pored over her porcelain face, the way it shimmered due to the tear-streaks lining her skin.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered: and then he was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

The rest of the night, Avalain could not bring herself to leave the gazebo in the hopes that Fili would return. But of course, he did not, and so she fell asleep there only to be found in the morning by Lindir, who instantly smothered her with a blanket and ushered her into the kitchens for a cup of tea.

When at last Avalain had agreed to eat some breakfast, Lindir finally asked her, "What were you doing there all night?"

She knew that she couldn't tell him the truth. And so she replied, "I was stargazing, like I do every night."

"You're exhausted," sighed Lindir, placing a hand on her arm. "You need to take care of yourself, Avalain. You've been so focused on welcoming the Dwarves—perhaps you should take a day away from them."

Oddly enough, she quite agreed. She had a lot to sort through anyway. And so she answered, "Perhaps you're right, Lindir. Some more sleep might help me."

Lindir looked shocked that Avalain had agreed with him, but he quickly rid himself of that surprise and escorted her to her room, where he left a glass of water on the table and told her to rest well. And though she tried to fall back asleep, she did everything she could do find more rest, her thoughts were jumbled and discombobulated.

She thought of what she had: a loving family, a beautiful city, great friends since childhood. She had Arwen, who had always been supportive of everything Avalain ever did. She had her father, who had truly come to love her despite her being the reason for her mother's death, and who had **_more _**than made up for his absence in the years since her early childhood. She had Lindir, a great friend and a great tutor, who cared immensely about her well-being and happiness.

And then she thought of what her life could have been, had Fili stood by what he felt rather than what he feared. Erebor could have been lovely. She could have made more friends in far off places… she already knew the members of Thorin's company. They would most likely stay in the mountain—she would never have truly been alone. Not only that, but she could have visited Legolas in Mirkwood frequently, seeing as it was only a day's ride from the mountain on horseback. She could have helped to rebuild the Dale, the city burnt and destroyed when Smaug first took over the mountain.

And through it all, she could have had Fili, the thought of whom still brought a ray of warmth to her heart, despite the way they had parted the previous night.

Avalain finally fell asleep.

When she awoke, she was surprised to find that it was nearly night. A peaceful orange glow consumed the horizon; she figured it was near time for supper.

Avalain, however, was not hungry. She felt a little more at peace with the realizations she had made that morning, even **_if _**they would no longer be relevant. There was still a long way to go if the She-Elf wished to be rid of any lingering pain, however… so she decided to go do something she had not done in a long time.

After stretching once or twice, she rose from her bed and grabbed a shawl for the chilly spring air. She wrapped it tightly around her shoulders as she exited the Homely House in the direction of the gardens.

On her way to her destination, Avalain found herself passing the dining pavilion. The boisterous noise coming from that direction told her that the Dwarves were currently busy feasting: she figured that Fili would likely be there.

Not quite ready to lay eyes on him yet, she took a deep breath and strode as elegantly and as quickly as she could past the pavilion. She did not look in that direction at all—but somehow, she felt a few pairs of eyes following her. She did not know if that was because the Dwarves were hoping she'd join them or if because they knew what had transpired the previous evening… but it would not do to dwell on the thought.

For another few minutes, Avalain walked onward, to the southern-most edge of the gardens. She and Legolas had set up targets there when they were teens, and when no one was watching, they would often sneak off to that area and practice their archery skills.

Avalain had not been in that section of the gardens since his last visit… but she figured that whether or not he was present, the activity in itself was soothing and therapeutic, and just what she needed.

When she arrived, the clearing was exactly how she'd remembered it—trees loomed inwards, shielding her from any outside observers. Orchids blossomed all around, still clearly healthy. Standing directly across from her were three sets of targets of varying size and heights. She sighed as she looked around, only just then realizing how much she'd missed the place.

Humming softly to herself, Avalain walked over to the large oak with the hollowed trunk. She and Legolas would store their bows and arrows there when they were not training, for fear that someone would take their archery equipment if they brought it back to the Homely House.

Her bow in hand, Avalain returned to the firing line. She regarded the first set of targets… Even though it had been years since she picked up a bow, Avalain prided herself on thinking that the beginner set was still too simple for her. So she raised her bow and aimed for the second set, which were slightly smaller and further away.

_THUMP!_

The arrow embedded itself in the center of the outermost ring.

She clicked her tongue. Not her best shot, but also not terrible for not having practiced in fifteen years…

Her second shot was met with more success. This time, her arrow landed in the middle ring. If this pattern of improvement continued, she would be able to hit the bulls-eye again in no time.

Avalain continued with her training for about five minutes before hearing the rustling of leaves. Alarmed, she whirled around, peering into the darkness that surrounded her.

She saw nothing. It could have been a bird, or a squirrel or rabbit.

All the same, Avalain remained wary as she returned to her task.

Two more arrows were launched before she heard another rustle—this time the sound was accompanied by the sharp _crack _of a twig being stepped on.

"Who's there?" she called, her eyes narrowed. Although her Elvish vision was impeccable, not even she could see through the pitch-blackness of the leaves or trees.

There was silence in response. Avalain had half a mind to walk over and see who it was herself—she knew she hadn't imagined the sound, she was certain that there was something larger than a standard creature nearby.

A third crackle.

The She-Elf pinpointed the sound and darted over to it. She brutally whipped aside the brush only to find nothing behind it. Astonished, she whispered, "Odd…"

_WHUMP!_

With a startled cry, Avalain whirled around to see Kili standing in her normal firing spot, an arrow in the center of the farthest target. Noting his success, the Dwarf turned around and bowed, a smug grin on his face as he haughtily proclaimed, "Top **_that_**."

Avalain exhaled shakily and held a hand over her heart. It was beating rather frantically—never before had she been discovered in any of the hide-outs that she shared with Legolas, and Kili had done a rather good job of evading her detection and scaring her half out of her wits up until this point.

"Kili!" she cried, finally regaining her sanity. "By the Valar, you scared me half to death!"

"Something not many could brag about, I'm sure," he simpered, walking towards the target and retrieving his arrow. He also took the liberty of grabbing Avalain's arrows and bringing them back to her.

With a curt nod, she expressed her thanks. She was, however, also uncertain why he had surprised her the way he had—she figured that she would only have to wait for a few moments before he would explain himself.

She was right: Kili lined up a shot at two more targets. They both hit through their respective bulls-eyes… and then he sighed.

"I know this is a rather odd thing for me to ask, Avalain, but I cannot help but wonder if you might know something."

Avalain raised an eyebrow, but otherwise did not alter her expression as she replied, "I might. To what are you referring?"

Kili looked around the enclave, as if ensuring that there were no other prying eyes or eavesdropping ears. Finally satisfied that they were alone, he muttered, "My brother. There's something wrong. He hasn't spoken to me about anything, but I **_know _**that there is something bothering him, I can feel it. The others… they think I'm crazy. He's hidden it well all day. But I figured—you have been friendly to us. Perhaps Fili has talked to you…"

The Dwarf trailed off, staring at the ground embarrassedly, as if the question was a foolish one to ask. When he looked at Avalain again, however, and saw the stricken look on her face, that embarrassment morphed into suspicion.

Before Avalain could even speak, he exclaimed, "You **_do _**know something."

"Kili, I—"

She stopped herself and held up a hand. The information that Kili was after was incredibly personal; but he was also Fili's brother. If anyone could help Fili get back to his normal self, it would be Kili.

"Alright. You… may want to take a seat."

The She-Elf gestured to a bench underneath a tall oak tree. Kili sat down, while Avalain remained standing—and she began to tell her side of the story.

She spoke of the first day of the Dwarves' arrival, how she and Fili had talked through the entire night in the gardens. She reminded him of the scene with the fountains, and explained that they had spent the afternoon telling one another entertaining stories. Finally, she told him about how they were stargazing, and Thorin Oakenshield stumbled upon them—she relived what he had spoken, and concluded with what Fili had said after that conversation with his uncle.

When Avalain was finished talking, she cast a wary glance at Kili. He had been wide-eyed and attentive the entire time, and now that her story was told, the young Dwarf broke into a huge childlike grin.

"Wait, just to clarify—you mean to say that he told you he cared about you? Truly? Multiple times?"

The She-Elf blinked once or twice before nodding in assent, admittedly a little startled by his emphatic reaction.

Kili didn't seem to notice; or if he did, didn't seem to care. His grin turned into a laugh, effectively confusing Avalain. At last, however, the Dwarf seemed to recognize that he had to explain his excitement: "He's never said that to anyone before. He's always been so **_careful. _**This is great!"

As charmed as she was by Kili's acceptance and excitement, her face could not reflect the same joy that he was protruding. Softly, she reminded him, "It **_was. _**Fili, he… I believe he made it very clear that he does not wish to pursue anything more."

"He does. I know it."

Avalain looked at Kili hopelessly; but seeing the true conviction upon his face did make her feel the slightest bit hopeful.

"How can you be so certain?" she questioned, cocking her head sideways.

"I've met the Lady Arwen. We spoke for a little bit—mostly about you. Just based on that little bit of conversation, I could see how much she cares for you; and I'm certain the feelings are reciprocated. That is why I am certain."

"What does Arwen have anything to do with—"

"If your sister wanted to find something, so deeply and truly, and then she **_found _**it… and then it was taken away? You'd know that something was wrong, that something had changed—and you'd **_also _**know that she'd want it back."

Kili leapt to his feet and placed a hand on Avalain's shoulder, his voice quiet but certain as he stated, "Fili's my brother. I know him better than I know anyone else. He's been waiting to find someone special for ages. Now that he's found you… he won't just let that go. He can't."

"But he did," she whispered, yet Kili just shook his head.

"And it's killing him, I can tell. He just needs to be reminded that he can't be everyone's hero."

The young Dwarf looked directly into Avalain's face—and, despite the boyishness that Kili exuded on the surface, within his eyes she could see a degree of wisdom and experience. When next he spoke, that wisdom crept into his voice through his words: "If you have to leave your home, he will give you a new one. If you have to leave your family, **_we _**could be your new one. Fili does not believe he would do right by you because he only sees what you would **_lose_**. But there could be so much for you to gain, too. It all depends on one very important question: do you think you could be happy with him?"

Avalain inhaled sharply, suddenly realizing what Kili was helping her to do. If she were able to find Fili, to talk to him about what he feared, what he was currently feeling…

She smiled gratefully and looked at the young Dwarf, who was looking at her expectantly in return. She recalled that he had asked a question that still needed answering, and so the She-Elf replied, "I think… if I get to talk to him, yes. I could be happy with him."

"**_If _**you get to talk to him? Poppycock. **_When _**you talk to him, do remind him that at the end of the day all you want is to be happy, and that one certainly doesn't achieve happiness by pushing away the only person you've ever felt emotionally attached to, won't you?"

The She-Elf couldn't help but laugh at that; she placed her hand upon Kili's and gave it a light squeeze. She was met with an encouraging grin and a nod of the head, as if gesturing for her to go immediately.

"Should I go tonight or tomorrow morning?" questioned Avalain. She might need time to think about what she wanted to say—and yet, the sooner that it all was figured out, the better.

"I think that is up to you," answered Kili, nodding once.

Although Avalain recognized that it was growing late, she was anxious to have this resolved… not to mention that she had slept through nearly the entire day, and was hardly ready to return to sleep.

"Do you happen to know where Fili is now?" she questioned.

Kili shrugged and remarked, "I saw him walking towards the bottom of the valley earlier. He might still be there. Usually when he's upset about something he finds some secluded place and broods over it for a while."

She couldn't help but laugh to herself at that comment, if only because she was the same way. If that were the case, he would likely still be there… she might be able to catch him before he attempted to sleep.

"Thank you, Kili," she murmured, once again offering him a hopeful smile. "I would tell you what happens when next I see you, but I believe you'll be able to tell how fruitful our conversation based on your brother's disposition the next time you see **_him._**"

Kili laughed, but shooed her away, exclaiming, "Go on, then, go!"

Renewed with hope, the She-Elf wasted no time in putting away her bow and arrows and exiting the gardens for the lakeside below.


	7. Chapter 7

Halfway down to the lake, Avalain paused to gather her thoughts and brainstorm how she could begin this conversation with Fili. Even as she had been walking in his direction, her heart had started to grow heavy. What she was about to do would certainly not be easy, but it **_could_** lead to something great.

After three painful minutes of indecision, she huffed to herself and figured that it wouldn't matter—even if she were to plan it all out, things would probably go astray anyway.

So she continued onwards, carefully descending the steep walkways of the valley, trying to ignore the sound of her heart pounding in her head.

At last, after another ten minutes of walking, she was able to see the large lake that Rivendell's rivers emptied into. And, as Kili had suspected, at its edge stood Fili, who was spelunking smooth stones across its glassy surface.

Avalain watched him for a brief moment. His back was to her, so it was likely he didn't yet notice her presence—he was gathering a number of rocks to a pile at his feet, and in the quiet of the night, she could hear him humming. It was a melody unlike anything she'd ever heard before, and it was entrancing.

She began to move towards him again… and kicked a stray stone across the pathway, making a loud scattering noise.

Fili whirled around and, seeing who it was, seemed both comforted yet on edge. He nodded curtly in her direction and turned back to his task of skipping stones over the lakebed.

Even just being near him reminded her of how comforted she felt in his presence, despite the circumstances. She was uncertain if those same feelings manifested in **_him, _**however—his whole body seemed to tense, and he stopped humming.

"You were not wrong."

Fili made no move to acknowledge that he heard what Avalain had said. He threw the stone in his hand across the bed of the lake—it skipped three, four, five times before ultimately disappearing. He bent to pick up another one.

"When you said that we could not live in fear of what might be? You were not wrong."

He tossed another stone across the lake.

"Do not pretend as if I am not here," scolded the She-Elf, folding her arms. She took a few more steps forward until she was only a few feet off to the side. She was certain that through his peripherals, he would be able to see her.

He tossed a third rock—four, five, six times it skipped. Finally, forced to address her presence, he declared, "Neither of us had faced the truth of what you would be forced to do, if we were to stay together. My uncle enlightened us. We made the choice that was necessary."

"**_We _**did not choose anything. **_You_** made my decision **_for _**me, before I had had time to process all your uncle said and all that I felt."

Fili was silent. While he did not look at Avalain yet, he also made no move to return to spelunking, which meant he was indeed paying attention.

"Fili… I thought a lot about what your uncle said last night."

"Don't make this harder than it has to be," he interrupted, his voice a whisper. "It's already eating me alive. I can't stop thinking about… what if things were different."

Avalain sighed and knelt beside him, something bubbling in her throat. It took a second for her to realize that it was a **_laugh. _**She reached out; he did not shy away—so she lightly took his hand in her own and knelt in front of him, forcing him to look her in the eye as she replied, "Things don't **_have _**to be different, Fili. We can make them work just as they are."

"How?" he asked hoarsely.

"By acting on what we feel rather than what we fear," she replied softly, placing a hand upon his face. "You were so concerned about what I had to lose that you did not stop to think what I would have to gain by being with you."

Fili laughed now, a bitter sound. His brown eyes were dull as he asked, "What could I give you, Avalain. I am a prince with only the promise of a throne, a deadly quest still ahead of me. For all I know, I may die on our way to Erebor, and then what good will I be to you? And even if we **_do _**succeed, I will still be laden with the task of helping my people to relocate, to rebuild—I would not be able to dedicate the time and love to you that you deserve."

"Only for a little while," she replied, a half-smile still upon her face. "Helping your people is of course a priority—but Fili, I want to help you do so. Those things we can do for the Dwarves, we can do **_together. _**I'd hardly stand to the side and wait as you restore Erebor to what it once was."

As she spoke, the Dwarf's face grew softer, as if he had not expected for Avalain to offer her assistance in the relocation and adjustment of his people. His grip around her hand tightened ever-so-slightly as he murmured, "You are incredibly kind, Avalain. For better or worse, your generosity to a people you have never met only makes me more fond of you."

"You would do the same, were you in my position," replied the She-Elf, certain of her statement.

She was met with another smile. Even as she looked upon Fili, she could see that his expression was returning to what she had seen from him the last two nights they'd spent together. Filled with hope, she took a seat on the lakebed and gestured for him to join her—he did so, without releasing his hand from her own, a sign that brightened Avalain's smile.

"What else is on your mind?" she implored, rubbing her thumb on the inside of his wrist. "We can talk about it… that's what can help us."

The Dwarf sighed in a contemplative manner and looked out over the lakebed. The stars were reflected atop the water, and those lights shone in Fili's eyes as Avalain looked upon him. Finally, after what felt like ages of silence, he sighed, "Damn it all, I do truly want to make this work. Very well, Avalain. There were a few things on my mind too, after my uncle spoke to us. You were right by saying I was afraid that I would take everything from you: your home, your family…"

"Rivendell is beautiful, that is true, but I must confess that I have grown tired of my life here. The outside world has called me for many years now, and I cannot help but see Erebor as the perfect place to go. Helping to rekindle its lost flame, assisting your people in occupying the mountain… that would be a most welcome change of pace."

Fili regarded her skeptically, as if wondering whether she was lying and saying only what he wanted to hear. Upon noticing the sincerity within her face, however, his shoulders visibly relaxed. He did raise an eyebrow upon asking, "And what about your family?"

Avalain's smile grew slightly bittersweet as she responded, "My family is dear to me, yes. But Elladan and Elrohir… I suspect they shall not be with us again for many years. Arwen and my father will have each other—they will be fine. Meanwhile, I shall find new friends and another family. The Dwarves in your company are a good start, and I am certain that there are others whom they know that I could befriend. Then there would be a new place to call home…"

"This isn't a visit we're talking about, Avalain. This would be for a long time…"

Avalain looked over the face of her Dwarf, a small smile etched onto her own. "I know," she replied softly. One of the braids in his hair fell in front of his eyes; she giggled lightly and placed it behind his ear so she could look at him. "I've thought about that, too. Perhaps adjusting will be difficult, and perhaps things will not be utterly perfect. But throughout any times of hardship or struggle, I will have **_you. _**Even with only these last few days, I have felt at home with you, more so than I could have ever expected. I have grown fond of you… and I want to see where time can lead us. I think I could be happy with you, Fili—but I only wish to proceed from here if you do, too. If, after what I've said here, you don't wish to pursue anything further, then I will respect that and not bring it up again. But if you **_do…_**"

Here, the She-Elf stopped short, unsure of what else she could say. So she simply laughed lightly and shrugged, leaving the last few words up to his interpretation.

Fili watched her closely through her spiel, his face carefully composed. There were dark circles under his eyes that Avalain had not noticed before, proving that he had not had much sleep the previous night. The peaceful ambiance surrounding them made Avalain feel more at ease than she had felt within the last twenty-four hours.

"I was a fool to let go of someone so special so easily. I do not intend to repeat my mistakes."

Before Avalain could express how happy she was to hear him say as much, Fili leaned forward and kissed her, one of his hands on the side of her face, the other still resting comfortably in her own. His lips were warm, and Avalain found herself restraining tears, she was so glad to have a chance with him again.

He pulled away after a moment and rested his forehead against hers, the way he had done the previous night. A sheepish smile upon his face, he admitted, "I did not ever dare to think that someone like you could care for someone like me."

"How could I not?" she questioned, laughing lightly as she pulled him close. "You are incredibly kind and charming, and you have a heart of gold. The love you hold for your people speaks volumes about you, Fili—you have made me feel at ease and safe since we met, and you have proven that you can have fun, too. Not to mention I do find you incredibly attractive, and you **_are _**rather tall… for a Dwarf."

This last, Avalain made sure to say with a knowing smirk upon her face.

Fili seemed to pick up on her little jest, because he barked a laugh and groaned, "Oh, shut up," before leaning forward to kiss her again.

For a minute they stayed like this, enjoying the others' company once again. They sat next to one another, Fili gently running a hand through Avalain's dark hair while watching the lake. If they looked hard enough, they could see silver trout swim close to the surface of the water before diving back underneath. The two soon began a little game of pointing them out to one another, seeing who could spot the most trout in a period of minutes.

"I used to swim in this lake as a child," Avalain recollected. She was brought back to memories of her and Elladan and Elrohir taking off their robes and dress and jumping into the lake in the middle of summer, while Arwen waited by the shore with towels in her hands and an exasperated but still amused smile upon her face. "My siblings and I would come here on the summer solstice of each year, when we knew it would be hot, and jump in the waters in only our underclothes. Our father caught us once… but we still came back every year, despite how irritated he was."

Avalain sighed as she looked out onto the lake, realizing that the last time they had all been together at this point was over two hundred years ago. Elladan and Elrohir had been gone a long time…

"I miss days like those. Childhood," laughed the She-Elf, shaking her head in a hopeless gesture. "They were easier times for everyone, I would guess."

Fili nodded in agreement… and then shot her a sideways glance. His voice was uncommonly devious as he suggested, "Well, why not relive those days now?"

Avalain cast him a suspicious glance, and was rather surprised by the little smirk that was on his face. She had to admit she rather liked that look on him.

All the same, the She-Elf couldn't resist the smart remark she had for that question: "I hope you're referring to the swimming in the lake part, and not the part where I jump in with only my underskirt. I think we still need a fair amount of time together before that."

"No, I—Durin's beard," grumbled Fili, his face promptly turning pink. Avalain couldn't help but laugh upon seeing how startled she made him. The Dwarf shook his head and, for the briefest of moments, couldn't look her in the eye. He did, however, mutter under his breath, "You're impossible."

The She-Elf only smirked in response and rose from her spot on the lakeshore. She removed her shoes and placed them side-by-side before moving towards the waters, carefully lifting her skirts. She paused when the water covered her ankles. The water was cold, but not overly so. She could adjust to it within a few minutes.

She trekked a little further out so the water was up to her hips. Her dark purple dress blended with the blackness of the lake; she turned around and shot Fili a questioning glance.

He seemed to notice what she was wondering—Fili shook his head but smiled as he removed his boots and began to follow her.

As soon as he reached the point where the water was knee-deep, Fili yelped, "Seven hells, how did you and your siblings tolerate how cold this is?"

"It is usually a little warmer in the late summer, but… seeing as we must settle for the month of early April…"

Fili muttered something Avalain could hardly hear—though she thought it sounded like a gruff, "Fair enough." Then he moved out and joined her. Where the water only reached Avalain's stomach, Fili was covered up to his chest. But he didn't seem to mind as Avalain grabbed his hand.

"Do you know what else my siblings and I used to do as kids here?" she asked peacefully. Yet her lips were struggling to not form an eager grin.

"What is that?"

That was **_exactly _**the response Avalain was hoping for. She promptly splashed some water in Fili's direction, laughing as she doused his blond hair. Fili exhaled sharply as the water poured over him, but wasted no time in splashing her back, only making her shriek with both glee and shock.

For a little while they fought, back and forth, much like they had the night of the Dwarves' silly food fight. As Avalain had hoped, she soon became used to the temperature of the water, which only fueled her desire to stay in the lake.

After a few more moments of nonsense, Fili managed to grab Avalain's hand as she moved to splash him again—before she could free herself or retaliate, he seized her other arm and pinned them behind her.

Avalain thrashed around halfheartedly, knowing that she likely wouldn't be able to free herself. She knew that Fili was incredibly strong—so, seeing that she was stuck, she laughed helplessly and exclaimed, "Fili! You know I can't keep pestering you if you keep my hands tied, don't you?"

"I'm quite aware of that. But I'll let you free if you honor two requests."

Avalain raised an eyebrow, but decided to play along: "And what would those be, pray tell?"

Fili grinned devilishly and retorted, "First, that you stop splashing me, and second, that you kiss me."

The two requests were hardly anything—and Avalain soon expressed as much by murmuring, "Well, how could I say no to **_that_**?"

She leaned forward and did exactly that: and as promised, Fili released her hands. A giggle escaped her lips as she realized how drenched he was… and likely, the same could be said for her.

"I love that I can have so much fun with you," she sighed, retaking one of his hands within her own. She gazed out over the far end of the lake and saw something she'd failed to notice before. Pointing at the sight, she whispered, "Look there."

Where she was gesturing, a couple of white swans were nestling comfortably with one another. One of them looked to be sitting atop a nest. The creatures were incredibly elegant, even as they were sleeping.

"They're beautiful," he replied simply, a brightness to his face.

Avalain nodded in agreement and regarded them; then she turned her gaze back to Fili. And as she looked upon him, she saw so much… the spirit and energy in his face, the peace and kindness in his eyes, and the joy in his smile. The words she spoke next almost arrived without thought, but she knew they were true.

"Like you."

Fili laughed derisively and waved a hand as if to dismiss her compliment—but when he noticed the seriousness behind her comment, he scoffed and said, "We Dwarves are not really a people of elegance or refinement. We aren't really… beautiful, I suppose."

She squeezed his hand lightly and murmured, "I wasn't talking about your people. I was talking about **_you._**"

He chuckled and looked back to the swans, but said nothing.

"Believe me or do not, it is what I think," she added serenely, her eyes turning to the moon. She noticed that it was slowly sinking, lower and lower over the horizon. Before long, it would be daybreak, and that would be yet another night she wouldn't get any sleep.

Knowing that she had to return to her bed soon—and warm up and dry off as well—she raised Fili's hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles before turning to go.

"Avalain."

She turned around, a single eyebrow raised. When she looked at Fili, she couldn't help but see a new look in his eyes—one she could only label as adoration.

"You truly are something special."

The look that he had given her warmed Avalain's heart, and that feeling stayed with her all throughout the walk back up to the Homely House. As she lit a small fire in the fireplace in her room and warmed up next to it, as she laid out her dress to dry, as she crawled into bed and closed her eyes, she could see him there.

He was truly something special, too.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, Avalain was awoken by Lindir, who had knocked loudly and entered the room, stating, "My lady, an audience with you is requested by—"

And he promptly froze and whirled around, realizing that Avalain was dressed only in a sheer underskirt and loose blouse, seeing as she had laid her dress out to dry when she had returned from her meeting with Fili.

Noticing how petrified he seemed, the Lady of Rivendell could not help but laugh in charmed amusement.

"Lindir, it's _alright. _You and I have been friends for a thousand years now; frankly, I'm surprised this is only the first time you've accidentally seen me without proper attire on."

At her urging, Lindir turned back around, although he was admittedly sheepish. Avalain grabbed her shawl and wrapped it around her body, requesting him to repeat the message he had been asked to deliver.

The Elf sighed and nodded, wringing his hands nervously. His eyes were bright with discomfort as he stated, "My lady Avalain, an audience with you has been requested by one of our guests."

Avalain raised an eyebrow, uncertain of who would approach Lindir and ask for a formal meeting. Certainly it wouldn't be Fili—perhaps it could be Kili, as she knew he was hoping to receive word on how the conversation went the previous evening. Effectively confused, she finally asked, "Who has asked for me?"

"Thorin Oakenshield, my lady."

Whatever warmth Avalain had gained the previous evening vanished like a cloud of smoke. She felt her face pale—Lindir seemed to notice it too, because he immediately jumped upon the opportunity to say, "If this is a request that can be turned down, you are more within your rights to do so, Avalain."

"No… no, Lindir, it's okay. I simply… was caught by surprise. I'll meet him."

Lindir sighed, but nodded and informed her that the leader of the company of Dwarves would be awaiting her presence at the dining pavilion at half past two o'clock in the afternoon.

The hours leading up to that meeting were filled with worry and with dread. Avalain could not help but wonder what it was exactly Thorin Oakenshield wished to meet about—did he wish to add a few things he had forgotten to say two nights before? Or had he gotten wind that she had changed Fili's mind?

Her chores passed swiftly, due to the fact that she was hardly thinking about them, and she could not complete her studies due to the distraction. Instead of remaining with Arwen in the library, she elected to leave it and take a brief sojourn around the gardens. That always helped to clear her—

"Ah, Avalain Nightshade."

Avalain froze and suddenly realized that she had nearly run into the man of the hour: Thorin Oakenshield himself. She inhaled sharply and exclaimed, "Thorin! My apologies, I've been a little scattered today…"

"That is not a problem. I take it your friend spoke to you of the meeting I wished to hold with you in an hour?"

The She-Elf nodded slowly, feeling her chest tighten. Perhaps she was being paranoid, but the way the Dwarf said that made her uneasy. All the same, she threw every bit of control she mustered into her voice as she answered, "He did indeed. On the dining pavilion, correct?"

"It is. Forgive me—there is something on my mind I wish to express to you sooner rather than later. Are you available now, instead?"

He was answered with a nod; but Avalain's heart was practically pounding out of her chest. She could not help but feel like every part of her, every action she took, was under intense scrutiny. It didn't help that Thorin Oakenshield was a very stern and kingly man—she could not take a single clue from his face.

As it was, Thorin didn't seem _angry, _at least. He waved a hand and began to walk into the gardens, leaving Avalain to follow.

After about five minutes of admiring the plants, he began to speak:

"I cannot help but notice that my nephew seems rather… rejuvenated today."

Avalain did not quite know how to respond to that, so she stayed silent.

Thorin glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and, noting the careful guard to her expression, remarked, "I suspect that may be because the two of you have talked once again about your options?"

Slowly, she nodded. Noting that Thorin's gaze was not straying from her face, Avalain heard herself stammer, "I, erm—we did discuss our concerns, yes. And we spoke of how we might overcome any difficulties that might arise with our… connection."

"I see," he answered simply, leaning forward to look at one of Avalain's favorite rose bushes. It may have been a trick of the light, but it seemed like the slightest of smiles came over Thorin's face when he noted a little ladybug perched inside one of the rose's petals.

Another uncomfortable silence reigned between them. Avalain was about to open her mouth—she wasn't sure what she would've said, she probably would've only blurted out something silly—but Thorin beat her to it.

"I wish to clarify, Avalain Nightshade, I do not dislike you. Quite the contrary, you have been kind to myself and my kinsmen, and for that, I thank you. I had many doubts when Gandalf led us to this valley, but you have managed to persuade me that he indeed made a wise decision."

Avalain let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding. Color seemed to rush back into her face; she could honestly say she hadn't expected to gain **_any _**favor from the future King Under the Mountain. It was a relief to hear his words… but there was still something more on his mind.

So she stated, "I am glad to have brought you and your men joy, Thorin… but I cannot help but feel that that was not what you wished to tell me."

Thorin chuckled somewhat, but admitted, "It is not."

He reached out, one of his fingers lightly brushing one of the many daisies that Arwen and Avalain had planted only a few years past. Finally, his gaze returned to the She-Elf's face.

"I wish for Fili to be happy, I do. But I cannot help but be concerned about what our people's reaction would be to your union if you were to publicize your relationship. We Dwarves have harbored a great resentment towards Elves due to the events that transpired sixty years ago, and for a new King Under the Mountain to be so quick to make an Elven woman his Queen… it would be jarring, to say the least."

Thorin sighed, a deep and reluctant sound: "The point I am _attempting _to make is that I would be worried for your safety. Were anything to happen to you, it would be catastrophic for the relations between Elves and Dwarves, not to mention my nephew would be destroyed. I simply wish to ensure that you are well aware of _all _the risks you would be taking by making this leap."

Avalain smiled, grateful for Thorin's concern, and sat down on one of the benches next to the daisy plots. She looked out over the dining pavilion, where a few of the Dwarves were lingering for a late lunch. She watched them eat merrily and laugh and jest with one another, and could not help but laugh lightly at their antics.

The Dwarf's gaze followed her own, and he too chortled, shaking his head. For a few contented moments, they stayed there in the peace of Rivendell, simply letting things pass.

Eventually, however, Avalain knew she had to break that peace. She chose to reply to Thorin's previous concerns by saying, "Fili and I have discussed the range of things that may occur when I am to join him in Erebor. In order to change your peoples' minds, I fully intend on assisting in restoring your city to its former glory, and to make new friends and create a reputation for myself in the process. If we are lucky, those efforts may even yield a strong alliance between Rivendell and Erebor. It is a lofty goal, but one I aspire to nonetheless."

Thorin's eyebrows raised, but not in a skeptical manner. It was more like a surprised gesture, as if he hadn't truly expected Avalain to desire to bridge the shattered relations between Elves and Dwarves.

"If you **_were _**to succeed in doing that, you would certainly put all my fears to rest," he replied, sharp blue eyes inspecting her face.

Avalain grinned; a simple but excited grin.

"Then that is what I shall do, Thorin Oakenshield."

* * *

The remainder of the afternoon passed incredibly swiftly compared to the passing of the morning; before Avalain knew it, the sun was setting over the distant horizon in varying shades of orange and yellow, and it was time to meet her father and the Dwarves for supper.

As it was, Kili wasted _no _time in catching Avalain's eye and shooting her a large, reckless grin. It appeared he was quite aware of how her conversation with his brother had turned out.

After informing her father that she would be absent from the High Table once again, Avalain took a seat at the guest table next to Kili and Bofur, intentionally seating herself across Fili. She shot him a raised eyebrow and a restrained smile; he returned it.

Fortunately, the remainder of the Dwarves were too enveloped in their dinners to notice.

Once again, dinner was a marvelous affair. The Dwarves were updating Avalain about the exciting adventures they'd had so far since they'd departed from the Blue Mountains—Bilbo Baggins perhaps had the most entertaining portions. He spoke about how a grey wizard with a pointy hat invited thirteen Dwarves to dine in his little hobbit-hole in the Shire, and how shocked he had been to admit them all… and how his poor pantry was quite barren afterwards.

The She-Elf found herself gasping with laughter at the tale, the Dwarves all chiming in here and there to remind the half-ling of a few missed details, or to correct what had _actually _happened. When that recollection was over, however, Avalain pleaded for another one; and so Bilbo launched into a thrilling story about how all the Dwarves had been captured by three giant trolls who were arguing amongst themselves about how the Dwarves should be cooked.

Before too much longer, Avalain's side began to have stitches, she was so entertained. She couldn't help but continue giggling—Bilbo was certainly an adept storyteller.

Once it was clear that dinner would be over soon, the Dwarves swiftly invited Avalain back to their encampment for further drink and merriment. Of course, she immediately accepted, and waved her father and sister good evening before following after them.

Her father Elrond returned her wave, a restrained but bright smile upon his face.

At the Dwarves' pavilion, they brought out more wine they had somehow managed to pilfer from the Homely House's cellars. Everyone had a glass in their hand within minutes, and despite it not being a strong ale or malt beer from the Mountains, the Dwarves had a merry time drinking it and beginning festivities.

Bifur brought out a fiddle—Bombur retrieved a few extra snacks from his provisions—Kira and Ori began to dance—everything was jovial.

Throughout it all, Avalain couldn't keep from glancing in Fili's direction. The way his face lit up when he laughed was lovely; and more than once or twice, she managed to catch him looking at _her, _too. As much as she wanted to join him and spend the night by his side, she knew that if they were to disappear now, the Dwarves would suspect something.

"Join me for a dance, milady?" queried a jesting voice—the She-Elf looked over to see it was Kili, a wicked but boyish grin upon his face. He bowed extravagantly and extended a hand, leaving Avalain little to no room to refuse.

As it was, she had an incredibly fun time joking around with him. Kili was certainly one of the most light-hearted of the group, and it was a delight to get to know Fili's brother more. Not to mention he was actually quite a good dancer, a fact that Avalain was surprised to learn.

After a few minutes of this nonsense, however, the young Dwarf exclaimed, "Thank you for honoring me, milady, but now I must go rouse Kira and see if I can get the same reactions out of _her. _Good evening!"

And he unceremoniously plopped Avalain to his brother's side, shooting her a wink before dashing off.

"Subtle," remarked Avalain, raising an eyebrow.

"Believe it or not, that actually _is _subtle for him," replied Fili with a snort.

Avalain reached for her wine glass and grinned into it. She would be lying if she were to say she wasn't glad to be with him again.

"How has your evening been?" she questioned, finishing off her drink. The wine was sweet and red, and she had had enough of it by now to be feeling pleasantly warm. Her inhibitions were slightly lessened, so she felt safe in lightly nudging his arm with her shoulder.

"It has been lovely, but it is even more so now that you are here."

The She-Elf smiled slightly and glanced back at Fili, who was lounging comfortably in one of the pavilion's chairs. His face was the slightest bit pink, and his brown eyes were filled with warmth as he looked at her.

Avalain felt her own composition melt, and she was about to respond—but a loud shout interrupted her from doing so.

"HEY! Are you two ever going to explain all that eye-flirting that's going on over there? It's been going on all evening!"

Both she and Fili whirled over to the direction that the voice was coming from: unsurprisingly, it was Bofur, who was tossing them a cheesy grin. If Avalain was correct, it looked as if he was resisting the urge to wiggle an eyebrow as well.

As it was, they weren't the only ones to hear Bofur's interjection. The rest of the Dwarves paused in their revels to stare in their direction, too.

There wouldn't be any talking out of _this _one.

The two of them exchanged looks.

"They're _your _kinsmen, _you _tell them," declared Avalain with a smirk, reaching for another glass of wine.

Fili shot her a sardonic look: "You're going to let me do this all by myself?"

"I'm going to have to explain to _Lindir. _I'm sure you can handle this."

"Fair enough," grumbled the Dwarf, and then he sighed and ran a hand through his dirty-blond hair. "ALRIGHT, I'm only going to say this once, so listen up. Even though we've only been here a few days… Avalain and I have—we've grown close with one another."

A few whistles from the Dwarves—Fili waved a dismissive hand while Avalain barked a laugh and rolled her eyes.

"Ah, shut up. Anyway… I guess now's as good a time as any to ask, since I technically never did—Avalain, do you… no, would… damn, this is harder than I expected—"

She grinned and grabbed his hand in encouragement, her eyes glittering in the fading light of the fire-pit on the pavilion.

"Will you begin a courtship with me? Officially, that is."

The She-Elf's grin only grew as she lightly kissed the top of his hand and easily answered, "Yes."

The Dwarves cheered louder than they had throughout the night at her response—a few more wine bottles were popped open, and the music was instantly resumed. For a little while longer, the merriment resumed, with many of Fili's kinsmen approaching Avalain to offer their sincerest congratulations.

She smiled as she accepted them, their ecstasy only solidifying Avalain's hope that when she would find them in Erebor, she would be able to make a great many friends indeed.

When at last the nighttime was growing thin, and the sun's first light threatened to creep over the tops of the trees, Avalain seized Fili's hand and made to wish him goodnight—

Even before she could speak, he murmured, "You look absolutely radiant, Star Lady."

Avalain giggled at the use of the silly nickname he'd given her on their first night in Rivendell and was about to wish him farewell—

"We must leave. Tomorrow."

The suddenness of this declaration halted all joviality. The Dwarves and Avalain swerved to look at Thorin Oakenshield, who had just reappeared upon the pavilion. He seemed to be in no joking manner. There was a seriousness to him that no one dared to question: the future King Under the Mountain saw Avalain looking at him, and his gaze grew soft and somewhat pitying.

"You have been a gracious hostess, Avalain Nightshade, and we thank you for that. But I have just learned something troubling, and it warrants our immediate departure lest we risk the success of our quest."

Avalain swallowed past the lump in her throat and somehow managed to nod. She looked back at Fili, whose expression could only be described as despondent.

She lightly placed a hand upon his back and whispered, "We knew this day would come, when you would have to be parted from me."

"I did not expect it so soon," he replied, shaking his head. "It seems that we have only just arrived…"

The She-Elf blinked, wishing to rid herself of the tears that were threatening to spill over her cheeks. She did not wish to cry: she knew that in time, she would be with him again.

Even so, it would be hard to return to the lifestyle she had been tiring of before the Dwarves had arrived.

She sighed and leaned forward to kiss his temple: then she turned her gaze back to the leader of the company and stood tall and queried, "What do you need before you go? Extra rations? Weapons? Equipment?"

Thorin Oakenshield seemed to see right through her façade of strength, but responded, "I will ask nothing more of you, after all you have given us."

"Please," she insisted, "there must be _something _I can do. I would rather deplete Rivendell's entire kitchens for you than give you nothing when there **_is _**something you need. I must be sure you are well off when you go."

After a moment's pause, Thorin nodded and gruffly admitted, "We… would not turn away a few extra preserves or rations, if that is the case."

The smallest of smiles came over Avalain's face. At least she might be able to give them one last thing before they go…

"Of course," she whispered. "I will return shortly."

And after one last squeeze of Fili's hand, she whisked off towards the kitchens to grab the supplies.


	9. Chapter 9

On her way to the kitchens, Avalain allowed the tears to cascade down her face. She figured she could not have hidden it for long, after all… she wished, so deeply, to accompany the Dwarves on their quest to Erebor. She would be lying to herself if she said she weren't jealous of their ability to simply _leave _and go explore.

But most of all, she was saddened with the impending loss of Fili, whom she had grown so close to over the previous few days.

She approached the Homely House as quietly as she could, knowing that most of the inhabitants would be fast asleep at this time of night. She snuck through the hallways and finally found herself at her destination: the pantries.

Avalain carried as many jars of jams and packages of dried foods as she could, and turned around—

Only to find Gandalf standing in the exit.

The She-Elf gasped and nearly dropped what she was holding. Her heart beat frantically as she, trembling, sat them down upon one of the tables.

"Gandalf Stormcrow, you scared me half to death!" she hissed, placing a hand over her chest.

But the wizard was silent as he quickly inspected his pupil. As the brief seconds passed, his expression became more and more sorrowful until at last, he murmured, "You are upset."

There was no way that Avalain could pretend he was wrong; so she merely nodded.

"About the Dwarves?" asked the wizard.

She nodded again.

Gandalf narrowed his eyes and took a step closer to her. He gently pushed one of the stray strands of her dark hair behind her ear—he noticed the tear-streaks that lined her cheeks.

"You love them," he decreed.

Avalain chuckled lightly. "I have grown fond of them, yes. And… there is no use in lying to you, Gandalf, I… Fili and I have…"

But she could not speak the words in her mind, instead leaving him to figure out what it was she wanted to say.

Fortunately, the wizard was an incredibly wise man. Now it was he who nodded and, oddly enough, _chuckled._

"I have brought more trouble than I expected to bring when I escorted the Dwarves here."

The She-Elf smiled wryly, allowing the wizard his little jest. But then, as quickly as the smile came, it left, as she was forced to recognize that she would be quite unhappy for the next few days.

Softly, she murmured, "I wish I could go with them."

Gandalf nodded slowly, his face betraying no emotion. But when next he spoke, he did so with a certainty that Avalain did not hear very often at all: "There will come a day when you will have your own adventure, Avalain. I promise you that."

The statement comforted her more than she thought it would—perhaps it would be soon, or perhaps it might be many long years down the road… either way, she was glad for the wizard's interjection.

"Will you go with them?" she queried, looking at him sideways.

Gandalf, however, shook his head. "Not immediately, I do not think. There is some business I must attend to here before I leave. And that should start here: Avalain, are you aware that a council has been called between myself, Galadriel, your father, and Saruman the White?"

Avalain's mouth dropped open, as she had certainly _not _been aware of any such gathering. She would have relished a chance to say hello to her grandmother.

"I'll take that as a 'no,'" declared the wizard, a certain twinkle in his eye. His gaze once again grew serious as he resumed speaking. "We have all felt a collective presence growing in the Mirkwood… a dark presence, one not felt for many years."

The She-Elf swallowed and held a hand to her throat. It had been King Thranduíl's charge to keep watch over Mirkwood; and while she had known that the trees were slowly dying, and a dark change had begun creeping upon it, she had been unaware that the changes were sufficient enough to draw Galadriel's attentions.

"That situation _must _be dealt with. The council has convened to decide what must be done. In the meantime, I suggest you write to Legolas and convey your concerns about the state of his homeland. I suspect he may take matters into his own hands, if his father will not."

Avalain was the one to nod now, knowing that if something was troubling Galadriel, surely it would only bode ill for all.

Noting how uneasy she now appeared, Gandalf forced the dark expression off his face and declared, "Do not trouble yourself too greatly, Avalain. We will take care of this situation—what is important now is that you assist the Dwarves as you are able before they leave at dawn. You have precious little time left, after all."

She nodded again and, knowing there was hardly any time to waste, scooped the provisions in her arms and swept off to the Dwarves' pavilion.

Within the next few minutes, Avalain and the Company stood at Rivendell's exit gates.

One by one, the Dwarves were approaching her, thanking her for her hospitality and expressing their regrets that they were to leave such a beautiful city and a great new friend. Avalain did everything she could to restrain the sadness that she felt, deep in her heart, but it grew difficult with each new farewell that passed.

After nine of the thirteen companions had given her their well-wishes, Kili trudged up to her, dark circles underneath his eyes. Despite his haggard look, he wore a hopeful smile as he bowed before her and exclaimed, "It has been a great pleasure to get to know you, Avalain. I hope to see you again in the near future."

Avalain's smile did not reach the depth of her eyes, but she did feel the flicker of hope her heart. "You have been a great part of my joy these past few days, Kili. Thank you for being my friend."

He bowed again and moved aside, allowing Fili to step forward.

"Avalain," he said, the sadness in his face reflecting that in her own, "may I speak to you just there?" He pointed outside the gate to the road. It was within the Company's sight, but out of earshot.

She smiled sadly and nodded. "Of course."

They walked out together slowly; Avalain was aware of every moment, knowing that the number of them were dwindling with each step. When at last they were clear out of earshot, she asked, "What did you wish to speak about?"

"I… don't know," he said, his eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "I suppose I simply wanted to have one last moment together, just us… talking."

Avalain's smile finally grew genuine; she sighed and took the Dwarf's hand.

"Write to me when you reach the Mountain," she murmured, rubbing her thumb on the inside of his wrist, the way she had done each night they'd spent together. "Let me know when I am free to be with you again."

"How do you know we are going to make it?"

"I simply do," was the serene reply. Avalain closed her eyes and felt it, deep in her soul: the certainty that Fili would get to see his homeland. "I simply know."

He chuckled, obviously not quite convinced, but certainly full of hope. He then leaned forward and rested his forehead against her own before sighing, "The day I get to be with you again could not possibly arrive soon enough."

"Yet that shall also be the day we do not have to be parted. If we must wait for that blessing, then… so be it. It will not be too long before I am with you again, I am sure."

"This may be yet another thing I adore about you: your unyielding optimism."

_That _made her laugh—she squeezed Fili's hands and was pleased to see him relax ever so slightly at the sound.

"We will make it," she finally said, placing one of her hands against the side of his face. "And then I shall find you at home."

"You say 'home' as if you've already accepted it."

"Home is where the heart is, is it not?" queried Avalain, a slight upturn to her lips. "If you are there, so is my home."

Fili blinked again—before she quite knew it, he was kissing her; Avalain knew that she would not see him for another number of months, and that she would need to have a comforting memory to sustain her until then. She focused on the way he held her—carefully but sincerely, as if she were one of the precious rubies he mined. He then leaned his forehead against hers and gazed into her amber eyes.

"You are still just like a star," he sighed. "So far away…"

"I will not be for long," she reassured him. Before she could add anything else, however, she felt someone watching them—she glanced over to see Thorin Oakenshield offering her a curt nod.

She knew that it was time.

Avalain sighed and rose. "You must go…"

Fili looked over to see his uncle and nodded hollowly. "You're right…"

The two of them walked back over to where the remainder of the Company stood; it was Thorin who next approached the She-Elf and declared, "Thank you again for all you've done for us. We will not forget it."

And with that, he issued the command that they were to leave. Without looking back to see if they had heard him, he tromped out of the city. All in a line, they followed: Dwalin, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Balin, Ori as he waved shyly farewell, Kira and Kili—

Then there was only Fili and Bilbo Baggins.

It was the hobbit who spoke first: "Thank you for allowing us into your city," said Bilbo. "It was a most lovely place, and I intend to return if I can."

"Rivendell shall always be open to you, Master Baggins," grinned Avalain, charmed as ever by his manners. "We should be glad to host you again."

With a sincere smile, the hobbit shouldered his pack and followed after the Company, his walking stick in hand. Avalain could faintly hear him humming something as he ambled off.

Fili smiled one last time at Avalain before murmuring, "Good bye, Star Lady."

Avalain giggled at the nickname. She had grown unexpectedly fond of it indeed. "Farewell, _a'mael naug_. May the grace of the Valar protect you."

He nodded, and they exchanged looks, for there was nothing else to say… and then he followed his Company out of Rivendell, leaving Avalain at its gates.

The Elven woman stayed there for nearly an hour afterward, unable to bring herself to return to the Homely House. She already missed the Dwarves and their company—their friendship had been what filled the boring days with glee and joy, and now that it was gone, her unhappiness with Rivendell was glaringly obvious.

An hour after the Dwarves had departed, Lindir came rushing up to the gate. Seeing Avalain standing there, he stopped. "They've gone, haven't they?"

"Yes," was all she said.

"When did they leave?"

"At dawn."

Lindir nodded. "I see." He gazed out over the terrain for a moment—the mountains were in the distance, the end of the valley barely within sight. The dawn had long since risen, and puffy white clouds floated in the sky. Turning away from the scenery, he looked at Avalain who had tears in her eyes.

"Avalain…?" he asked. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, yes, I'm fine," she gasped. But at that exact moment, the tears began to trail down her face, leaving Lindir baffled. Noting that she was clearly **_not _**fine, he reached out and held her in a tight embrace.

The She-Elf was grateful for her friend's presence; he was there to help wipe away her tears. Though she could not tell him the reasons behind her despair, she accepted his offer to go inside the Homely House for a cup of tea. She knew that if anyone was going to help her through this difficult time, it would be Lindir.

And while she could not possibly tell him why she was upset, she would take what comfort she could from his friendship.

* * *

A month passed in Rivendell, and while Avalain's sorrow had diminished somewhat, it had not disappeared.

It had been difficult to accept Fili's departure, and that was putting it lightly. The truth of how very much she had come to care for him was glaringly obvious now that he was gone—Avalain found herself visiting the gardens, the lake, and her training area in the garden more and more often. She had retaken up the daily practice of archery, and she also rehashed the conversations they'd had.

Avalain _had, _however, opened up to her sister Arwen about her situation. She knew that her older sibling could keep her secrets, and she also knew that Arwen would understand.

Even with her sister's support, resuming her normal life in Rivendell was a dull task. Her studies no longer interested her, she grew palpably bored with her routine activities… her unhappiness was clear not only to Avalain herself, but to the servants and her friends and family. Her father Elrond was attempting to bring a smile to her face through a few of her favorite pastimes such as horse-riding or fencing, and while that would work for a little while, when the day was over she would return to a somber state.

It was exactly thirty days since the Company's leave that Avalain was summoned by her father. Filled with dread, Avalain slogged towards Lord Elrond's room, all the possible reasons she could have been called swimming through her mind. She was both lightly confused and concerned about why she had been called.

Lord Elrond looked up when she entered the room. With a smile on his face, he said, "Ah, Avalain. Come—sit, my daughter."

Avalain quickly did as he bade, offering him a not-quite-there smile.

Her father seemed to note its lack of sincerity, his silver-grey eyes piercing. Softly, he declared, "I cannot help but notice, Avalain, that ever since the Dwarves have left our valley, you have seemed rather… distant… compared to when they had not yet arrived."

Avalain's smile morphed into what suggested as a smirk, and replied, "Yes, I will admit that."

"Would you be willing to tell me why you have grown away from us?"

The She-Elf sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Without Fili's reassurance, she had once again fallen back into that bad habit whenever she grew nervous.

"I simply… I believe it is because I am tiring here, Father. Rivendell is beautiful and it is home, but… I cannot help but wonder what else might lie beyond our borders. The Dwarves were something I had never before seen, a people I knew virtually nothing about. They were… different."

Avalain trailed off, her eyes locked in a thousand-yard stare. She could not stop herself from thinking of Fili with this last. He in particular had been different: from herself and from the other Dwarves, and she loved that about him.

Lord Elrond reached across his desk to grab one of his daughter's hands. She shot her gaze upwards and was met with a warm smile as he murmured, "You are nearing two-thousand years of age, Avalain. If you wish to go somewhere, simply tell me, and travel safely. I know you have been thinking of going to the Mirkwood and seeing Legolas again: and if that would bring a smile to your face, I would gladly give you my blessing."

The She-Elf's eyes lit up. She missed Legolas greatly, that was true, and although she knew the woods there were growing darker, she knew them well, and she trusted King Thranduíl to be keeping an eye on the Elven Roads and his lands.

Not to mention… she recalled that the Mirkwood was on the way to the Lonely Mountain, far off in the East…

The offer seemed almost too good to be true. She looked at her father, one eyebrow raised skeptically, but was met with only a genuine smile in return.

Still, to confirm, she questioned, "Are you sure, Ada?"

Elrond nodded. "I am certain. The only thing I would ask of you is to deliver a message to King Thranduíl on my behalf. Otherwise… you are your own woman now, Avalain. Go and visit for as long as you wish. Simply write to me when you arrive there and tell me when you plan to return home—and I will meet you with open arms."

Avalain blinked, suddenly realizing that she was restraining grateful tears. She practically launched forward to wrap her arms around her father, so happy to be able to find joy in travelling with the promise of being with her best friend.

"When will you go, my daughter?"

"As soon as I can," she answered swiftly, her eyes brighter than they had been all month. "Perhaps tomorrow?"

Lord Elrond chuckled and wrapped an arm around Avalain's shoulder. "In that case, we shall have to go pack some of your things. Come, let's proceed to the kitchens. We'll find you rations and canteens to take for your journey."

And, with her normal smile returned to her face, Avalain and her father set off to prepare her for her journey—

One month after the Dwarves had left her city, Avalain set off upon her horse and did not look back.


	10. Chapter 10

It took the better part of a month of travel upon horseback, but at last, Avalain found herself at the entrance to Mirkwood. She sighed as she gazed upon the darkened trees, saddened by the gloomy change that had befallen them. She had braved a thunder battle in the Misty Mountains, evaded a troop of goblins, and rode night and day to make it here…

She opened the map of Mirkwood that her father had given her. After only a simple glance she knew this was indeed the Elven Road that she needed to follow. The path beneath her feet, however, was all but invisible—it was clear she would need to dismount her faithful horse, Belutha, and lead herself and her steed on foot.

Avalain clucked her tongue and glanced at Belutha. The horse's silver fur would surely stick out in such a darkened wood; that could be both a blessing and a curse. Placing a hand on the horse's snout, Avalain murmured, "Are you ready to brave the darkness of the woods, _mellon?_"

Belutha answered with a snort.

"Neither am I," sighed the She-Elf, but she gently took the reins and pulled Belutha after her.

The moment they passed the threshold of the wood, the sickly-sweet stench of death and decay infiltrated Avalain's senses. She gazed around at the falling trees and crumpled leaves; brown, cracked, burned and cut.

Once, those trees had been home to many forest animals—but now, they were dead, and all was silent.

Belutha seemed to notice the gloom too; she whinnied uncomfortably and shook her head.

Avalain pat her snout and softly shushed her. "We cannot afford to be noticed here. We do not know what now lingers in the shadows."

The horse snorted again, but was then silent.

For hours, Avalain traveled through the woods, keeping a sharp eye on the Elven Road beneath her feet, the thought of seeing Legolas and possibly—or rather, impossibly—Fili spurring her onwards.

She knew that the Company of Thorin Oakenshield had either passed through or was currently within the clutches of Mirkwood… and she could not help but worry about the Dwarves. The thick air and lack of sunlight would be enough to drive anyone into deliriousness. Even _she _was growing lightheaded…

Avalain was unsure how long she had been walking, but at last, she warranted that it was time for a rest. She looked down to confirm she was still on the Elven Road—then she sighed and sat on a rotting trunk next to the pathway.

The She-Elf looted her pack and grabbed a loaf of bread, tearing into it without restraint. Halfway through her meal, she realized it would be wise to ration her portions… and so, reluctantly, she stowed the remainder of it back into her pack. She _did, _however, grab an apple from her knapsack and offer it to her horse, who munched noisily on the treat.

After another moment, Avalain knew it was time to press onward. Time was precious here, and the sooner she reached King Thranduíl's borders, the better.

Hours upon hours passed. It seemed that the entire wood now looked the same; Avalain was all but convinced that she was not going anywhere; it felt as if she was walking in place. The air was growing thinner—she had to take deeper breaths than before, she was feeling so constrained.

Behind her, Belutha was also on edge: her ears twitched nervously, and the mare's eyes darted back and forth, as if she sensed something watching them.

Avalain grew increasingly worried that this was the case; in this accursed forest, her vision was growing fuzzy.

Finally, the She-Elf decided it was time to turn in for the night. She could hardly see in the gathering darkness, and at this point, the only thing she would succeed in doing would be getting lost.

"All right, Belutha, _mellonlin,_" murmured Avalain. "It is time to rest."

The horse snorted and immediately sat down, her eyes lulling sleepily.

As the horse began to snore, the She-Elf gazed over the map in her hand. She could only guess that she'd passed through a third of the woods this day, seeing as she had remembered more of the woods than she'd expected despite the challenges that came with travelling through it.

She smiled and leaned back as memories of the wood flooded her mind: she remembered climbing the trees with Legolas, and learning about the stars from King Thranduíl. She also recalled the day that she and Legolas had wandered off without permission and gotten stuck in the bog a few leagues out—a raw laugh escaped her as she recollected the King's rage when he'd been forced to go and fetch them.

After another moment, Avalain decided it was time to regain some of her _own _strength. She gazed around one more time. The surrounding darkness made seeing difficult… but her vision was not impaired to the point that she missed the leather pouch that was on the ground just a few feet away from her.

Avalain's eyes shot open, her tiredness forgotten. She crawled forward and snatched the pouch from the ground—just looking at it for a second, she was certain that was Dwarvish craftsmanship.

A light sparked in her heart. The Dwarves _had _passed this way…

She gingerly opened the pouch to see that there were some leaves inside: tobacco leaves.

The She-Elf sighed and leaned back against the trunk she was sitting against. Those Dwarves loved their tobacco, she was certain they wouldn't have simply dropped it unless they didn't notice it was gone.

It was entirely possible the claustrophobic atmosphere of the Mirkwood had addled their brains…

"Oh, Fili," Avalain heard herself sigh, "I wish I knew if you were safe."

And with those words, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

As soon as the light crept back through the tops of the trees, Avalain awoke. Impatient to set off again, she roused Belutha, ate a hasty breakfast, and continued onward.

Now that she had received a clue to the Dwarves' whereabouts and gotten a relatively good nights' sleep, her head felt much clearer than before. At least she knew that Fili and the others had been this way… the thought was more uplifting than she'd thought it would be.

The forest was significantly brighter than the day before; Avalain chose to interpret that as a good omen. Even though there was a long way to go, she knew that each step she took was one step closer to the borders of the Wood-Elves.

Before long, hours passed. It felt like Avalain had hardly moved anywhere; but as she glanced around and took deep breaths and truly observed her surroundings, she found that she was indeed closer to her destination. She began to recognize a few familiar signs: a specific knot in a mulberry tree, the archway of branches above a small pond… she was no more than a half-day's journey away.

As the sun began slowly sinking across the horizon, Avalain's dizziness returned. She discovered that the darkness contributed to the fogginess of the wood. As much as it pained her, she knew that she needed to stop before too much longer, less she lose the pathway beneath her feet.

With a sigh, she turned to Belutha and declared, "Let us rest for the night."

A snort, and then the horse flopped down to the ground.

Avalain smiled endearingly at her companion and began to lightly run her fingers through the horse's mane. The past six weeks, the horse had been working tirelessly to escort Avalain to Mirkwood, and now that they were so close to their destination, the fatigue was clearly catching up to her.

Feeling a pang of guilt, Avalain leaned her forehead against her horse's—

A sudden noise made her jolt up and squint out into the darkness. Scurrying towards her from where they had come were fuzzy… _creatures. _

Avalain gasped and jumped to her feet.

"_Belutha, noro lim!_" she cried. She didn't know what those things were, but the panic she felt deep in her chest told her that they intended to attack.

Her horse, hearing the distress behind her mistress's voice, darted up and allowed Avalain to saddle her before darting off into the darkness.

The creatures scuttled after them—the She-Elf could hear the leaves on the ground crunching underneath many legs.

Fleeing in the dark turned out to be incredibly problematic—it was full dark, Avalain could hardly see. She was relying on memory and hearing only as her vision had not adjusted to the pitch-blackness.

Avalain cried out as something sticky wrapped around her shoulders and neck. Panicked gasps escaped her as her hands only got caught in whatever-it-was that now covered her—even as she struggled, a sharp branch cut against her collarbone, tearing some of the skin away. A warm spout of blood blossomed over her chest.

The horse seemed to note the pain that Avalain was undergoing, and neighed and put on a burst of speed. Fortunately, Belutha's eyesight seemed to have adjusted, and she nimbly navigated the deceased foliage that surrounded them.

At last, after what was only a minute or two but felt like an hour, the scuttling sound behind them dissipated. Noting that the danger had largely passed, Belutha slowed to a stop and allowed Avalain to dismount.

The She-Elf immediately yanked a knife out from her knapsack and began carefully cutting away the sticky threads that enwrapped her. It was only once she looked at them, fully and truly, that she realized what had been chasing them.

"Spiders," she whispered. "Giant spiders."

A great shudder ascended her spine. She'd never had any love for arachnids.

Avalain sighed and placed one hand over her heart, and the other on Belutha's snout. She recognized how indebted she was to her horse, who seemed to be trembling after such a frightful flight.

"We'll be in King Thranduíl's halls soon," promised the woman, closing her eyes. "I'll make sure he gives you all the hay you could ever want, _mellon._"

Belutha snorted softly and seemed comforted.

Within the next number of minutes, Belutha was snoring softly once again—but Avalain could not sleep. Not now… she had realized that in their desperation to escape the spiders, they had lost the path. She had no idea how they would find their way to Thranduíl's halls now…

Avalain allowed her horse to rest for a number of hours, even resting until an hour after the sun's full light crept through the trees.

Once they both were fed and watered, Avalain was not quite sure where to turn. For a little while, they turned around, hoping against hope that the path was not too far away… but after three hours or so had passed, the She-Elf was forced to recognize that her strategy was getting them nowhere.

It was clear that she would not find the path again.

For the first time since she had left Rivendell, Avalain allowed herself to truly despair. If she was unable to find the Elven Road, it was likely that in the dead forest, she and Belutha would be lost for good.

So she simply pressed onward.

And for a third day in a row, hours passed. The closeness of the forest began to cloud Avalain's head and judgment, only thickening her feelings of dread and despair. She longed to keep that optimism that Fili had once said he so adored in her, but with her current situation… she simply couldn't find it.

Just as Avalain was about to give up hope, however, a strange sound entered her ears. It was a loud cry, one that sounded vaguely humanoid—

And then a warning followed it.

"_Kili, behind you!_"

Avalain gasped and whirled towards the sound, beginning to jog in the direction of the shout. It could be Kili, it could be the Dwarves, she might have finally found someone—

Monstrous shrieks pierced the air from all sides.

The She-Elf whirled around to see that three large spiders had appeared behind her, pincers extended and black eyes glittering. She shrieked and withdrew her sword and knife from the sheath at her hip to prepare to fend them off.

Belutha whinnied and sprang to action, kicking at one of the spiders with her hind legs, doing everything she could to prevent it from reaching Avalain. The She-Elf had her hands full with dealing with the other two—they were circling around her, attempting to flank her.

This was the first true fight that Avalain had ever taken place in, and the experience was not something she wanted to repeat. Although she had trained with the sword and the bow, that training did nothing to prepare her for fighting off a creature that _would _kill her. It was only by pure instinct that Avalain managed to dodge the pincers and the hairy legs of the first spider when it lunged at her—she gasped and ducked underneath it before stabbing its underbelly with her knife.

The spider promptly crumpled to the ground, her knife still stuck in its carcass.

Avalain stared at it for the briefest of moments, stunned by the fact that it was dead… but she was forced back to reality as the second spider lunged as well.

The She-Elf gasped and began to run towards the sound of battle just ahead of her. Somewhere there, the Dwarves were also fighting for their lives, and she wanted to be able to see them, to help them—

A familiar scuttling sound. She knew the spiders were following her. Based on the stamping of hooves, she knew that Belutha was keeping up, too.

At last, after a minute or two of adrenaline-powered sprinting, Avalain laid eyes on them. The Dwarves were _there, _in a clearing a hundred feet ahead of her, fighting against a clan of spiders that had surrounded them. Somehow, in the midst of it all, she spotted a head of dirty-blond hair, two swords in his hands—

_Fili._

Another loud shriek forced Avalain to look back—the two remaining spiders were standing there, clicking their pincers together, beginning to spread out and circle around her once again.

"_Fili!_" cried Avalain, desperate to reach him. But she knew she couldn't, the spiders had her at a disadvantage now, there was nowhere she could go…

Realizing that she had to go on the offensive to progress, Avalain lunged forward and stabbed at one of the spiders. She managed to nick its leg—a horrific squeal exited its mandibles, a sound of knives scraping against knives. She winced as its cry echoed through the trees, but followed up on her attack.

This time, her blade struck through one of its eyes—the spider reared back and began to flee in the opposite direction of herself and the Dwarves—

And before Avalain could do anything about the third spider, it lunged forward and enclosed its pincers into her side.

Avalain screamed as her side burst into pain. She felt immediately dizzy, worse than she had when she had been travelling the last three days, and her side felt like it was burning… but she knew the fight wasn't over.

Belutha whinnied and struck the spider atop the head—Avalain followed up on the attack with a swift strike in between its pincers.

The spider released her and shrieked, that horrible scraping sound. The shrieking was replaced with a spine-chilling gurgle as the spider collapsed on the ground, dark ichor spreading out across the forest floor.

The She-Elf exhaled and slowly turned around. She saw that the fight in the clearing was over, and Fili was looking around, his face white as a ghost. He didn't seem to see her—she stumbled forward desperately, still trying to reach the clearing…

Even as she walked forward, Wood-Elves appeared in the clearing, demanding that the Dwarves relinquish their weapons. It might have just been Avalain's deluded mind, but she could've sworn that commanding the Elves was none other than Legolas, her best friend, the person she'd missed the most in the world for the past fifteen years—

Summoning all the strength she had left, she cried, "_Legolas!_"

Now _all _the Dwarves and Elves seemed startled. They looked around wildly—Avalain continued to stumble forward, clutching at her bleeding side.

Each step she took made her breath grow shallower. Each step she took made her grow more lightheaded.

But each step she took was one step closer—to Legolas and to Fili.

It was Fili who found her first. His brown eyes grew wide, and his face grew even paler, if that were even possible.

"No, no, no," he whispered, stumbling forward and ignoring the warning of the Wood-Elves that were attempting to restrain him. "It can't be possible, it _isn't, _you're not _here, _you're in Rivendell…"

Legolas followed the Dwarf's line of sight and swallowed. Even from so far away, the She-Elf somehow heard him whisper, "Avalain."

She couldn't say anything. She simply held out a hand, knowing that she had exhausted the last of her strength.

Her greatest friend rushed forward and grabbed her—she promptly collapsed against him. She placed an arm around his neck and murmured, "Legolas, _mellonlin, _thank the Valar I've found you…"

"Avalain, what _happened?_" he exclaimed, his eyes scanning her body. She knew he saw the scratches across her arms, the nasty cut against her collarbone. But she didn't remove her hand from her side.

She swallowed and somehow managed to respond. "Lost the path. Spiders… coming to find you."

His blue eyes landed on the ground beneath her—he noted the blood beginning to pool upon it. Slowly, ever so slowly, his gaze travelled upward to where her hand was clasped tightly against her skin, and her fingers were stained red.

The Elf swallowed, his eyes bright as he whispered, "Move your hand."

Avalain blinked, restraining tears, but did as he asked. The moment she did so, she heard a voice shout, "_NO!_"

She looked over and saw Fili, staring in shock. He tried to rush forward, but the Wood-Elves stopped him.

"Release me!" he demanded, attempting to shove them away.

They didn't budge.

Legolas shot Avalain a confused glance, but she didn't see it. Her eyes were solely on her Dwarf's face, longing to tell him how much she'd missed him… but all she could croak was, "Fili…"

The Wood-Elves looked amongst themselves, obviously confused about what to do.

"Get me a horse," commanded Legolas, his voice tight. He looked back to his men and noted that no one was moving to obey—his eyes flared with anger and panic as he repeated, "_Someone _get back to the palace and get me a horse!"

Avalain gently laid a hand upon his face and, having gathered his attention again, pointed back to the clearing she had emerged from. At the edge of the trees stood Belutha, whose tail was flicking back and forth nervously.

Legolas looked at Avalain, swallowed, and nodded. Softly, he murmured, "Let's get you to the palace. You're going to be all right. You have to be."

With that, he swept her into his arms and moved towards Belutha, who instantly lowered herself so the two Elves could settle upon her back. Once they were situated, Legolas glared out over the clearing of his men and the Dwarves and demanded, "Take them to my father."

Avalain gasped sharply—Legolas's gaze returned to her face.

"Don't hurt them," she pleaded, her voice fading. "My friends…"

Legolas kissed her forehead and replied, "They will come to no harm." Then, louder so his kinsmen could hear, he added, "Do not lay a single hand on them, understand? They will come before my father as guests before anything else."

Satisfied with what he had said, Avalain exhaled. She could feel her chest rising and falling, heavier and heavier with each passing second.

"Avalain?" she heard Legolas's voice ask, filled with worry.

She couldn't answer; the void below finally moved forward and swallowed her whole.


	11. Chapter 11

When Avalain awoke, she found herself looking upon a familiar sight.

She recognized this room… it had been her bedroom when she was younger, and was living with King Thranduíl and Legolas for much of her early adolescence. She knew the feeling of this bed; of the light peering in from the east side of the room.

She breathed deeply and took the necessary moments to compose herself. At last, when she felt like the last of her dizziness had faded, she began to sit up—

"Don't strain yourself. You still need rest."

Avalain didn't need to look over to know who sat at the table to her right. She inhaled once more before turning to look at Legolas, who was rising from the chair he'd been sitting in. When he reached her bedside, he knelt and seized one of her hands, lightly kissing her knuckles.

"How are you feeling?" he implored.

"Better now," she answered, blinking slowly. Her head wasn't pounding anymore, and her side wasn't burning, for which she was grateful. She looked over at the table Legolas had been sitting at and noted that there was an assortment of poultices and herbs upon it.

Looking at him sideways, she queried, "Were you the one…"

Even before she finished her sentence, she knew the answer. It had been Legolas who healed her wounds, who took care of her while she was unconscious.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder. There was no way she could fully express her gratitude for what he had done for her. It was likely that had Legolas not been there… she might not be awake.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Legolas said nothing; he only held her close, a hand brushing through her hair.

For a moment or two, all was silent. Avalain closed her eyes again and allowed herself to return to the memories she held from when this had been home: she was glad to hear the familiar chirping of birds outside, and the subtle sound of rivers flowing through the Mirkwood Realm. Warm sunlight still bathed the entire room; for the first time in a long, long while, Avalain felt peaceful.

When she opened her eyes again, however, she was forced to acknowledge that she had no idea of how long she had been asleep. She didn't know what happened to the Dwarves, if her father had been sent word of what happened…

"How long have I been asleep?"

"About two days," replied Legolas, his voice hoarse. His eyes were no longer concerned as he looked upon her: now, he just seemed relieved. "I hope you don't mind—I took the liberty of addressing your minor injuries and ridding you of the spider-webs."

Avalain smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder before taking a deep breath and hauling herself to her feet. She was stronger than she had anticipated, a pleasant surprise; and luckily she was able to walk towards the looking-glass without assistance.

She was surprised by how _normal _she looked. The scratches on her arms were gone, and there was only a thin white scratch where her collarbone injury had been. She was now dressed in a dark dress of green, but there was a large patch over her side where the spider had pierced her flesh.

Her hair had been clearly washed and brushed, and her hands cleaned from the blood and dirt. With a sigh, she turned back to Legolas and shook her head.

"I am indebted to you, dear one," she sighed, restraining a relieved laugh.

"You are in no debt," replied Legolas, waving a hand. "I am just glad to see you healed. I received the letter that you were visiting just a few days ago, and I must confess that I am shocked you arrived so quickly."

Avalain barked a laugh, but offered him a sheepish smile. "I had good reason to rush here, I believe."

Legolas returned her smile with a raised eyebrow.

"One reason, or two?" he asked innocently enough, but the light in his eyes told Avalain that he was fully aware that she was hiding something.

She returned his look with a sardonic smirk before replying, "Perhaps it was two, perhaps it wasn't."

Legolas laughed now. "It was."

He rose from the bedside and joined Avalain next to the looking-glass, placing a hand atop her shoulder. They were so unalike it was almost comical: he was tall with white-blond hair and piercing blue eyes, she was short with dark hair and amber eyes. The differences between the River-Elves and the Wood-Elves was highlighted between them, but their friendship proved that a race could be split in many ways and still be united.

"The Dwarf, the blond one—Fili, you called him?—has been asking after your condition constantly," resumed Legolas, raising an eyebrow at Avalain's reflection. "Why might that be, my friend?"

Avalain opened her mouth to respond, but just as quickly, closed it again. She had no idea how Legolas would react to the news that the Dwarf had officially asked for a courtship between them.

"It's… complicated," she ended up saying, looking away from the mirror.

"Now _that, _I believe," laughed her friend. His flippant behavior made Avalain feel a little more at ease—she had to remind herself that Legolas wasn't Lindir.

Something else crossed Avalain's mind then: "Belutha. Is she all right? She is being tended to, yes?"

Legolas nodded. "Your horse has been stabled and fed. I believe she is catching up on some well-earned sleep."

Comforted with this answer, Avalain sighed and rubbed her arms. She then asked the question she most dreaded the answer to: "And the Dwarves?"

"Being treated as guests, for the moment. My father wishes to discover their purpose in these woods, and as you made it clear that they are friends of yours, he did not wish to pass any judgment on them without your presence. Besides… he missed you as well, and wishes to say hello before getting on with business."

Avalain raised an eyebrow with this last part. King Thranduíl was very seldom any sort of sentimental—but the sincerity with which Legolas spoke forced her to recognize that this must be the truth.

"Then I suppose we should go see him," she declared, offering her friend another smile.

That gesture was returned, but then he asked, "Can you walk?"

She thought for a moment and stretched her leg. Everything felt fine… and she knew that if she got to feeling lightheaded, Legolas would be there to help her. And so she responded, "Yes, I believe I can. If I need your help, I will let you know."

Thus, the two Elves began to walk towards the throne room. Legolas was instrumental in assisting Avalain up the steps—and while the She-Elf was excited to be reunited from a childhood father figure, she also grew more nervous.

She knew that these were the Elves that had betrayed Thorin Oakenshield and his people on that fateful day, sixty years ago. It was likely that King Thranduíl would recognize him, and vice versa.

The conversation that would take place between the two peoples would be restrained at best, and hostile at worst. Either way, it would be nerve-wracking.

As the two Elves walked through Mirkwood's palace, Avalain found herself smiling as she looked across all the things she remembered. The waterfalls within the palace, the interconnected bridges, the way the ceiling allowed for people to see the stars above. It was all beautiful; and all familiar.

At last, Legolas and Avalain reached the throne room. Legolas helped her up the last few steps: and there upon the throne was King Thranduíl, sitting rather laxly. His piercing ice-blue eyes were upon her face, but the look within them was unreadable. Avalain would have quailed underneath his stare if she hadn't known him before that day.

When they stopped at the throne's base, Avalain curtsied as best as she was able. She avoided his eyes—her heart was pounding, she could feel every beat of it though her whole body. It had indeed been many long years…

"Avalain Nightshade," spoke the Elven King, his voice low and soft. "How time has passed."

The She-Elf rose from her curtsy and placed her hands in the pockets of her dress—she felt the familiar feeling of parchment and, with a start, recalled that her father had wished her to deliver a letter.

"I have something for you, King Thranduíl," she stated, withdrawing the letter from her gown and holding it out to him. "A missive from my father."

For a brief moment, Thranduíl stared at her, his eyes betraying no hint of emotion. But then he laughed and rose from his throne, arms extended in Avalain's direction. She had no time to react before she was enveloped in King Thranduíl's arms.

"My dear girl, you look terrified. You do not have to be afraid of me or of anything here. You have been dearly missed."

Avalain exhaled sharply, suddenly realizing how intensely dizzy she had gotten. A large grin overcame her face, and she wrapped her arms around her all-but-blood father in relief.

"I was worried you would not see me as a daughter anymore," replied Avalain, her voice betraying her fear.

Thranduíl barked a laugh and shook his head. "Nonsense. You are as much of a Wood-Elf as you have ever been."

He brushed a hand through her dark hair, an uncommon smile still present on his lips, and took the letter from her hands. He paid it no heed as he placed it in his own pocket—his gaze then travelled past Avalain and towards something else on the pavilion.

Avalain turned around to see the pavilion was no longer empty: the Dwarves were being escorted by a few Elven guards. Her eyes immediately located Fili, and she was relieved to see that he looked much better than last she had seen him. His face was no longer pale, and his face was no longer gaunt—as she looked across the rest of her friends, she noticed that the same changes had also taken place over _them. _There was no doubt that Legolas and King Thranduíl had been treating them well.

"Ah, good," hummed King Thranduíl, placing a hand upon Avalain's shoulder. He raised his chin ever so slightly as he waved, dismissing the guards and leaving only the Mirkwood's royalty, Avalain, and the twelve Dwarves.

"As you can see, our dear Avalain is well and recuperated," remarked King Thranduíl, his hand lightly squeezing her shoulder. "And now that she is well, we must address what has obviously been on all of our minds since your… arrival."

Thorin Oakenshield stepped forward, his blue eyes as icy as Thranduíl's own. "What is there to discuss?"

A flare of irritation passed across the Elf's face; but it was gone as swiftly as it arrived. "The purpose of you and your people passing through my lands, of course. What are you doing in the Mirkwood, disturbing my people?"  
"We were passing through to get to the Iron Hills," declared Thorin.

The Elven King frowned, a look unbecoming of him. "I do not believe that is the entirety of your story. I sense there is much you are not telling me—and I would consider it most unkind of you to lie to me, particularly after I have healed and fed your companions."

At this, Thorin Oakenshield was silent—though his expression said a lot.

Thranduíl turned to Avalain and sighed, "My dear, if I must be honest, the reason I have not imprisoned these Dwarves outright is because Legolas has told me of your friendship with them, and for that, they have received our hospitality. But now I ask you—what are these Dwarves doing here?"

Avalain took a deep breath and cast a sideways glance over the Dwarves. They were all staring at her, as if wondering whether she would betray them for the favor of her adopted father.

"As far as I know, they were attempting to take the Elven Road through the Mirkwood," she replied. "The woods have been growing darker, as I am sure you have noticed. It may be the only safe manner of travel remaining in this forest."

The King nodded once—but a small smirk took over his face. "You answered my question, but you did not answer my _question. _Do not attempt that trick with me, Avalain. I was the one who taught it to you."

The She-Elf couldn't help but laugh, if only because King Thranduíl was very correct.

As it was, the Elf sighed and put a hand to his forehead. With an exasperated sigh, he declared, "Very well. As much as I would like to say that the knowledge does not matter, I have a dark feeling in my heart. Thus, I cannot allow you to leave… not until someone sets my mind at ease or tells me what your goal truly is."

Avalain swallowed and turned her gaze back to King Thranduíl, her eyes wide. Before she could say anything, he quietly murmured, "I would not do this if I did not have a sinister feeling about their purpose, Avalain. Trust me when I say—I have lived long enough to trust my feelings."

The She-Elf gaped, but somehow managed to blurt out, "You don't mean they'll be imprisoned?!"

The King stood silent.

"My lord, hear me," she insisted, turning away from the Dwarves to face King Thranduíl directly, "they harbor no ill will to you or your people. I will vouch for them—they remained in Imladris for a time, and I have gotten to know them well. Let them pass. Please."

Thranduíl looked to Legolas, who had been standing quietly throughout the entire interaction. The two Elves shared a nod—and then Avalain's greatest friend shot her an apologetic look.

"My father's word is law," he replied, placing a hand upon her arm. "I can only hope that you convince these Dwarves to explain themselves to my father sooner rather than later."

Without leaving her a chance to protest, Legolas waved an arm, and the Elven guards reappeared. They began to surround the Dwarves, whose gazes were icy—

"Legolas, escort all the Dwarves except Thorin Oakenshield to the dungeons for now. There is a matter I must discuss with him further."

Avalain could only stand and watch as Legolas and the Mirkwood guards gestured the Dwarves forward, leading them away from the pavilion and in the direction of the jails. She could hardly believe what was happening—only a few minutes ago, she was certain that Thranduíl and Legolas would take care of her friends the way they had been before…

Somehow, she forced her feet forward, walking after Legolas and the Dwarves. Although she knew that Thranduíl was a wise Elf and King, the fact of the matter was that the Dwarves were running out of time to travel to their homeland… not to mention that she did not want to see Fili imprisoned in her former home.

She knew a lot about the Mirkwood palace; she and Legolas had explored all the hidden corridors and crevices, all entrances and exits. And although Mirkwood did have a hard prison to break out of, she might have the knowledge required to win the Dwarves their freedom.


	12. Chapter 12

Good evening, everyone, and thanks for reaching all the way to Chapter 12 of my story! I know I haven't used many author's notes of late (if any), but I just wanted to say thank you for reading this far, and a _big _thank you to all who have favorited or followed! It definitely keeps me motivated to finish this story, and always makes my day. :)

Please feel free to let me know in the comments how you're feeling at key points in the story! I'd love to get to know your thoughts, or answer any potential questions or address any confusion or concerns.

This is all I really wanted to say: so thanks again, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

As they were walking, Avalain thought intensely of the places that could lead to an exit of the Mirkwood palace. There was a broken window… but that was likely fixed by now. There was also a cellar door that was almost never locked—but the passageway out of the palace was blocked by a fair amount of collapsed stone…

After a number of minutes, they were all in the dungeons, and the Dwarves were being escorted as pairs into each jail cell. Bifur and Bofur—Dwalin and Bombur—Kili and Kira—Dori and Ori—Oin and Gloin—Balin and Fili…

Avalain blinked. She counted them again.

There were only twelve.

She knew Thorin Oakenshield would be joining them shortly, which would be thirteen… but Bilbo Baggins was not accounted for.

Hope welled in her heart. If the hobbit was indeed free, there was a chance that the two of them might be able to brainstorm a way to get the Dwarves out of their cells and the palace.

"Do you wish to rest in your room, Avalain? Or… should I give you some time here?"

She looked backwards and realized that Legolas was watching her, a shadow of pity in his eyes. He knew of her loyalty to her friends—and that watching them be imprisoned was shocking, to say the least.

"I… will take some time here, I think," she replied, her voice low. She turned to look at Fili, who was gripping at the bars, a hopeful smile still on his face despite the circumstances. "I will find you later."

Legolas nodded and squeezed Avalain's hand before walking off.

Once her friend was gone, the She-Elf sat down on one of the steps in front of Fili's cell and reached for his hand. He took both of his hands and squeezed hers, kissing her knuckles.

"I have missed you," he murmured, eyes searching her face.

Avalain smiled, at least glad that her dear one was not in immediate danger, and that he had been taken care of the last couple of days. With her other hand, she reached through the bars and ran her fingers though his blond hair.

"As I have missed you," she replied, although she could hear her own voice filled with worry and guilt.

Fili seemed to notice this too—the light in his eyes dimmed ever so slightly as he asked, "What's wrong?"

The She-Elf sighed and looked away. "So much… I wish I could have convinced King Thranduíl to let you go. I wish I could've helped you more so your journey upon the Elven Road wasn't as painful. I just—"

She stopped short, feeling how tight her throat was getting. Everything was catching up to her all at once, it was nearly overwhelming.

"You did everything you could to help us before we left. This is not in the slightest your fault. Please, Avalain… don't put this on yourself."

Avalain sighed, but acquiesced. She knew that she was hardest on herself—before she could say anything else, however, she heard voices in the distance. Looking over, she saw Thorin Oakenshield being escorted to the dungeons, although there was an oddly smug look on his face.

The guard that brought Thorin to his cell was familiar: Avalain remembered her as Tauriel, Captain of the Guard.

When Tauriel caught sight of Avalain, she blinked once or twice and declared, "I was unaware you were returning to Mirkwood."

"My arrival was… unexpected," replied Avalain, taking care to keep her voice collected. She and Tauriel had never had much of a friendship; Avalain largely suspected this was due to the fact that Thranduíl had all but adopted herself as a daughter, which had been Tauriel's title only before Avalain lived in Mirkwood. "I admit I was excited to return; the letter only arrived a few days before myself."

"Hmm," remarked the other She-Elf—and then she opened the door to the last cell and more-or-less pushed Thorin inside. "Well I'm sure Thranduíl, at least, is glad that you're back." And with that, the Captain of the Guard turned on her heels and left.

Left alone with the Dwarves once again, Avalain sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She had forgotten about Tauriel—perhaps the one thing she _hadn't _missed about Mirkwood…

"I sense there's some sort of history there?" questioned Balin, a raised eyebrow indicating that a smirk was hiding behind his beard.

Avalain rewarded him with a chuckle as she muttered, "You could say that." Before they could get distracted by the past, she turned towards Thorin and queried, "What did King Thranduíl wish to talk to you about?"

Thorin scoffed. "What I expected him to talk about. I told him he could defecate in a bucket."

The She-Elf blinked once or twice, uncertain on if she had heard him correctly. As the other Dwarves laughed, Avalain put a hand to her forehead and exclaimed, "And here I thought I could negotiate with King Thranduíl for your release!"

This made the Dwarves sober up—many of them stared at her with hope and confusion, but whatever spark of light they gained was quickly extinguished as Avalain added, "For all your goals, Thorin Oakenshield, you seem to have little restraint where it is necessary so you might reach them."

"Do not lecture me on restraint," retorted Thorin. "You do not know the depths of his treachery."

"No, I do not," Avalain acquiesced, though she still bore a scowl on her face. "But you have no influence here. You disrespected him in his own throne room after he has treated you with kindness based on _my _request. What little favor you may have gained from being my friends is now certainly gone, along with any chance I had at peacefully getting you out of here. Your pride could cost you your quest."

"Peacefully?" repeated Thorin, crossing his arms.

Avalain looked amongst the Dwarves, her eyes ultimately landing on Fili's face. She remembered what he had told her in Rivendell—that he had never before seen this homeland that his people were fighting for, that he truly desired to restore the greatness of the Dwarves.

She couldn't let his dreams die, not here, not when she could do something.

"Yes, peacefully," she finally retorted, her hands finding Fili's again. She brushed her thumb against the inside of his wrist, the way she had done before, as she spoke. "I cannot simply leave you here to rot. I cannot help but notice that there is a member of your company that is, shall we say, _missing._ With luck, I shall find him soon, and we shall brainstorm ways to get you out of here and back on the road."

Her words were met with an uncharacteristic silence. It was again Thorin who broke it, his voice low and with something that _might _have been guilt: "Thank you."

Avalain had to smile at that. "You are welcome. I will be glad to help you."

"Why are you here, though, Avalain?" asked a voice from the cell to the right. The She-Elf leaned back to see it was Kili who was talking, sitting on the floor next to Kira.

"I was told by my Father that I no longer am bound to Rivendell. I am free to travel the world, so long as I inform him that I am well and safe—he suggested I come here to deliver a message to King Thranduíl, and I thought it fair since I wished to visit Legolas."

The Dwarves grumbled with approval, but they were set to laughing again as Kili cried, "And now you're stuck with us!"

"Stuck with you?" repeated Avalain with a giggle. "Trust me, I am only too glad to find myself in your company again. I have another question for you, though—where is Gandalf?"

"Said he had important business to the south," grumbled Dwalin. "Took off without further explanation."

This troubled Avalain… she knew what lay to the south: Dol Guldur. Although she was worried about the wizard, she knew he could handle himself.

"Does this mean you've all been on your own through the entirety of Mirkwood?"

The silence she was met with was her answer.

"By the Valar," she whispered, her eyes wide. She couldn't help but immediately redirect her attention to Fili, whom she had worried over consistently for the past three months. "Tell me everything."

At her request, Fili somberly told her of their departure from Rivendell—how they came to the Misty Mountains and witnessed a great battle between stone giants, and how they had been captured by goblins shortly after. He relayed the tale of how Azog the Defiler, Thorin's archenemy, cornered them after their escape from the goblins, and how the Great Eagles saved them. He spoke of Beorn the Skinchanger who could turn into a great black bear; and finally, he told her of how Gandalf said he had to deal with something concerning to the south just at the borders of the Mirkwood.

Avalain kept her hands clasped in his the entire time he spoke, her eyes wide and attentive. She could not help but wonder how the Dwarves had not been killed by this point…

When at last her Dwarf was silent, Avalain could only exhale slowly and shake her head. They simply looked at one another for a moment—it was Fili who laughed darkly and asked, "Are you sure you still want to join in our ventures, Avalain?"

_That _made her laugh.

"Although you seem to entice death at every turn, I must confess that I do," she replied. Fili blinked as if he had misheard her, but his expression grew incredulous as she added, "If you are there, so I wish to be, so that I may help you reach your homeland."

The smirk on his face morphed into a genuinely heartfelt smile; Fili somehow managed to reach through the bars and place a hand upon her cheek. Softly, he asked, "What about you, Avalain? You've traveled all this way on your own…"

"The journey has been a little difficult," she admitted, "but my horse Belutha kept me company. My time wandering through Mirkwood mercifully lasted only three days."

"How did you find your way so quickly?"

Avalain glanced around—even though Mirkwood was changed, she was glad to see that King Thranduíl's palace had not.

"I have lived in these halls for nearly seven-hundred years, and explored this forest many times… I could not forget this place, not even with the dark change that has overcome it. I hope that one day soon, it will be the forest of light and joy that I remember from my youth."

Fili watched her face as he spoke—and when next she looked into his eyes, she knew that he picked up on how greatly the changes of Mirkwood affected her. The next question he asked, however, caught her quite off-guard: "How have you been?"

She thought for a moment before replying. "Once you left, it was hard to return to my standard way of life. I simply felt so… out of place… in my own city. I was lucky that I only had to stay there for a month before my father allowed me to travel. I was so excited by the opportunity to find you, I—"

Avalain stopped short and flushed, looking away.

The Dwarf, however, did not let the comment slide past him. "The opportunity to find us? I thought you were coming here to visit your friend."

"Well—yes, I _was, _but… stop looking at me like that!" she chastised, noting the way he was beginning to grin. She felt her face heat up even more, making her chew the inside of her lip in frustration. After a heavy sigh, she looked back at Fili and murmured, "Now is when you laugh at me for hoping, isn't it?"

"Not at all," he replied, the evil grin transforming into something more genuine. "I had hoped to see you again, but I never dreamed it would be here. Even though we are caged in the Mirkwood dungeons, I wouldn't wish to be anywhere else if you were not also there."

He leaned forward in an attempt to rest his forehead against her own—but was stopped by the iron bars. After shooting them a swift but deadly glare, he looked back to Avalain warmly and added, "I have missed you… more than I can say."

"You two are very sweet."

Avalain yelped and lurched away from the cell only to see none other than Bilbo Baggins standing five feet away. A gasp got caught in her throat as she exclaimed, "Master Baggins!" in hushed excitement.

The rest of the Dwarves seemed roused from their stupor, as the other twelve ran towards the doors of their own cells. Each of them began clamoring in relief about how Bilbo was still with the Company, and somehow not imprisoned.

The hobbit walked over towards the cell in which Thorin was held, and shared a curt nod with the Dwarves' leader.

"What should we do?" whispered Bilbo, his eyebrows furrowed.

Thorin, however, gestured back towards Avalain and answered, "I would ask _her, _as she has lived here for many years and would have the best hope out of all of us for setting us free."

Avalain smiled in the halfling's direction and waved him over. As he moved to sit next to her, he asked, "So… if you've lived here… are there any ways to get out of here without being noticed?"

"There are a few places I could check, although I admit if anyone were to see me inspecting them, they might grow suspicious."

"Leave that to me. Just tell me where I need to go poke around."

The certainty with which Bilbo spoke made Avalain blink once or twice. She regarded him carefully, and saw within his eyes a newfound sparkle; a feeling of confidence that she had not seen the last time they had met. Pleasantly surprised, the She-Elf declared, "Very well then."

She then proceeded to list a number of places, including the broken window, the collapsed basement tunnel, the wine cellar, and a few places that Avalain personally thought were long-shots, but were worth a look anyway.

Once she finished rattling off those places, Bilbo nodded stoutly and stated, "I'll get started looking immediately."

"Be careful, Bilbo. Elves have a sharper vision than any other in Middle-Earth, and with prisoners of this importance, they are bound to have extra guards posted."

Far from looking concerned, however, the hobbit took a deep breath and grinned. Avalain could've sworn that he _winked _at her as he said, "Not to worry, my friend. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

And with that, the hobbit trotted around the corner, disappearing from sight.

A brief silence reigned over the Company; then Avalain turned to Thorin Oakenshield and declared, "While Bilbo is doing his part to scout the castle, I will do everything in my power to keep Thranduíl and Legolas occupied. For that reason, you may not see that much of me…" She looked back to Fili and added so that only he could hear, "Loath as I am to say it."

Thorin nodded in understanding and held his chin high, looking reasonably more comfortable now than he had fifteen minutes prior.

The She-Elf looked among her friends and, although she wished to stay by Fili's side for a little while longer, knew that it would soon be time to return to Legolas. She opened her mouth to say her farewells, but Fili grabbed her hand again and spoke before she could.

"Avalain… be very, _very _careful while helping us. You are going against the orders of the man you once considered your father, and your closest friend… the last thing I wish for you is to lose these relationships for our sake."

Avalain grasped his hand again and offered him a sad look. She knew that despite her hopes to keep her involvement of the Dwarves' escape a secret, there was no way that Legolas and King Thranduíl would not suspect her duplicity. She had already confessed that they were great friends of hers, and that she was opposed to their jailing.

But she knew she couldn't tell Fili this… not right now. So all she replied was, "I will."

With those simple words, the She-Elf squeezed his hand and rose, wondering when the next time she would get to see her beloved Dwarf would be.


	13. Chapter 13

Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope you're having a good winter season so far. Thank you for continuing to read my story: if you happen to like it, please feel free to let me know! I'd be glad to hear your comments or questions.

Take care of yourselves, and I hope you have a great start to the new year. :)

* * *

Throughout the next few days, Avalain took great care to spend the vast majority of her time with Legolas to avoid raising suspicions. She had to admit that despite the precariousness of the Dwarves' situation, she was so incredibly glad to be with Legolas again; it was like no time had passed since last she had seen him. Before long, the two were exchanging stories, training, and exploring the safe regions of the Mirkwood like they had when they were adolescents.

Avalain had all but forgotten how comfortable she was in the presence of her best friend—even though she cared for Fili greatly, there was a camaraderie that she had with Legolas that she shared with no other person.

That bond, however, made it easy for Legolas to read Avalain's emotions. On the third afternoon of her visit, Legolas approached her room and, like usual, helped himself inside… but his expression was somewhat serious.

"I know this is sudden, but Avalain… I must know. What is your relationship with the Dwarf?"

The She-Elf jolted, stunned by the suddenness of both his entrance and his question, and set down the book she had been reading. She rose from the chair she'd been sitting in and silently gestured him to close the door behind him.

Legolas did so and approached her, his blue eyes beadily appraising her face. Noting how uncomfortable she looked, he gently took her hand and added, "You know you can tell me anything."

Avalain looked at his face and saw curiosity, concern, and something else—something she couldn't quite place at that moment.

Knowing that she couldn't keep Fili a secret forever, she murmured, "We're courting, Legolas."

A look of utter incredulity passed over the Elf's face, and he stammered a single word: "What?"

"We're courting," she repeated heavily, looking back to the book lying haphazardly on the table. "When they visited, we… spent a lot of time talking. We grew to care about one another, and we thought—well, when all this was over, maybe we could see how things go."

"When all _what _is over?"

Avalain froze and swiftly stole her hand back from Legolas's grasp. She had said too much already; she hadn't been prepared for this.

"Avalain."

She looked at him sideways, unwilling to say much more. At best, she would be able to forge a lie that was believable. At worst, she had just put her friends at even greater risk.

But much to her surprise, Legolas did not seem angry—rather, he merely looked at her with concern. He moved slightly so that she was forced to see him again, but remained silent.

Despite the will she wished to have, Avalain felt her tears well in her eyes. She wasn't sure what was worse: Legolas's silence or the expression on his face.

"I'm sorry," she gasped, moving her hand to her throat. "I just… you're the first person that I have told, other than Arwen. And I don't know what you're thinking, what you feel…"

At this, Legolas _laughed_, and then replied, "I only ever want what is best for you. If you are concerned that I will be upset or will not approve, you do not need to be."

The tears finally spilled across her cheeks, and Avalain wrapped her arms around her friend, doing everything she could to prevent herself from gasping. Having Legolas's support meant more than anything she could express.

"The reason I brought this up, Avalain, is because I cannot help but feel like you are… distant. Ever so slightly, perhaps, but I still feel it."

"You're right," she sighed reluctantly. "My mind has been on Fili's imprisonment. It's difficult to forget that he and my new friends are all held in the place I once called home."

Legolas retreated from her embrace and ran a hand through her dark hair—but even as she locked eyes with him, the smallest of sly smiles appeared across his face.

"You know, Avalain… I did say my father's word is law, but I did do what he stated. I brought the Dwarves to the cells, but he never said to _keep _them there. So, hypothetically, if one were to turn a blind eye…"

Avalain raised an eyebrow, wondering if he was insinuating what she _thought _he was insinuating. Before she could even say anything, however, her friend added, "Why don't you go say hello to them? I know you haven't seen them since they've been… escorted to their current accommodations."

Shooting him a suspicious glare, she queried, "Is that supposed to mean something?"

"Mean something? I have no idea what you're talking about."

And though that's what he said, Avalain could've sworn that her friend just winked at her.

Figuring that it wouldn't do to waste any more time, she simply squeezed Legolas's hand and darted past him so she could reach Fili.

* * *

When Avalain reached the dungeons, she took a quick look around just to make sure that there were no guards posted. Satisfied that she was the only Elf in the vicinity, she tip-toed over to the cell that she remembered Fili being in—

And promptly ran into something… _invisible. _

Avalain swallowed back a shriek and struggled to grab a grip. The dangerous thing about the dungeons was there were no railings, and the lake was open below—

"I got you, Avalain, don't worry!"

The She-Elf was pulled back towards the cell door she had been in front of and found herself face-to-face with Kili, who had dashed forth and seized her hand. Certain that she was no longer in any danger of falling, Kili let her go with a sheepish smile.

"Thank you," she said, her eyes wide. She whirled around looking for whatever it was she had run into… but saw nothing.

"Avalain?"

Her gaze whirled back to the cell in front of her—holding back a smile, she took a seat upon the stone steps in front of it. Of course, inside was Fili, whose eyes lit up when she came into view.

"I'm so sorry I haven't gotten to see you before now," she lamented, "I've wanted to terribly, I was just…"

Fili shook his head, the smile on his face growing as she spoke. "You don't need to worry about that. I'm just glad to see you now."

A feeling of relief flooded Avalain's being. She had long been worried about how her dear one had felt with her prolonged absence in such a time of trial; but this response set her at ease.

As quickly as the relief arrived, it faded. Fili's eyes had been bright when she'd first seen him, but even now, they were dimming. She looked past him to Balin, who was fitfully asleep while sitting up against the cold stone wall. Avalain looked towards other cells; the other Dwarves were all uncommonly quiet and somber. A few, such as Ori and Kili and Bombur, were looking askance in her direction as if hoping that she had new information that would assist in their escape.

A horrible thought formed in Avalain's head… and she couldn't stop herself from asking it: "When was the last time you have eaten?"

The silence that Avalain was met with all but answered her question.

Fili noticed the despair that took over her face and stammered, "Avalain, it—we're doing okay. We're going to get out of here soon."

"You absolutely _will_."

The ferocity with which Avalain spoke these words shocked even her. But even as they exited her mouth, the anger and the desperation that she felt became more tangible. She felt so outraged that this was happening—the Dwarves should've been only a few days away from the Lonely Mountain at this point.

Leaning forward, Avalain murmured, "I've spoken with Legolas. He's suggested that he will turn to the side if I am to assist you in breaking out of here. He and I know this castle, better than anyone. I will find you a way out. Even if I have to become best friends with Tauriel so I can get close enough to steal the keys off of her—"

A number of Dwarves began to chuckle, which was the most sign of life Avalain had sensed from them since she arrived. Not letting the interruption deter her, she hiccupped, "What? I will!"

Laughing, Fili reached through the bars and grabbed Avalain's hand. "You don't need to do anything like that. I trust in your abilities."

"Thank you. But this process may take time."

"We don't have time. Durin's Day is in less than a month—and we _must _reach the Mountain by then."

The She-Elf looked towards the cell on the far corner, in the direction of Thorin Oakenshield. She squeezed Fili's hand and moved to go sit by the leader of the Dwarven Company.

When she arrived, she found Thorin standing in the corner of his cell, his arms crossed and dark bags under his eyes. It was almost like he hadn't slept at all the last four days of their confinement.

"What do you mean you only have a month?" she asked, hoping for all the world that this wasn't true.

Thorin spared her a sideways glance before sighing and muttering, "Something your father told us, when we were in Rivendell. The map I possess… we can only open the doors to Erebor during the sunset on Durin's Day. That is the only way we can get inside."

Avalain exhaled slowly, suddenly realizing how little time the Dwarves had left. If they were to travel without any more distractions, the journey on foot would still take upwards of two weeks.

"Then I will get you out _soon. _Where is your burglar? Is he here?"

"He is—and he's found a way out."

Avalain yelped and looked over her shoulder only to see Bilbo Baggins once again, an excited and complacent grin lighting his face. A rather wicked glint passed through his eyes when he saw how startled he made the She-Elf.

"Bilbo Baggins!" she hissed, suddenly brought back to how he had surprised her four days prior. Shooting him a cursory look, she muttered, "I hope this will not become a habit of yours, frightening me out of my wits…"

The hobbit simply shrugged, holding back another smug grin. "My apologies, Avalain. But… I've found the way out."

"Then speak, Master Baggins!" urged Thorin.

Bilbo exchanged a look with Avalain—she waved him onward. With that, the hobbit exclaimed, "The wine cellar. The Elves dispose of wine barrels by dropping them through a hatch that leads into the river. If we can hide you in those barrels…"

A flicker of doubt passed over Thorin Oakenshield's face as he asked, "How will we send them down the river when we are all in barrels?"

"That's where Avalain and I come in. The Elves don't know about me… and Avalain… well, as long as she isn't spotted—"

"Don't worry about me," Avalain interjected, placing a hand on the halfling's shoulder. "I'm going to help you, one way or another."

Thorin looked at Avalain and seemed to note the fortitude in her eyes—with a sheepish half-smile, he murmured, "It looks like we will be in your debt once again, Avalain Nightshade."

This, however, was when Fili's voice exclaimed, "Wait… what will you do once we're out? The King is going to suspect you, Avalain. Even if your friend will let you help us, Thranduíl may lose his confidence in you."

Avalain sighed, knowing that her Dwarf held a very good point. She did not know the depth of Thranduíl's and Thorin's rivalry, but their animosity was self-evident based on the way they simply looked at each other.

"You've done so much for us already. Are you truly willing to do this, too?"

"What other choice do you have?" she retorted quietly. "If you are to reclaim your homeland, you must forget about what might happen and simply let me help you. If I do not, you may be stuck in these prisons for a century."

A silence settled over the Dwarves as they processed this information. Practically feeling the discomfort from Fili, the She-Elf moved back towards him.

She reached a hand through the bars and met his. Now that she was actually paying attention, Avalain realized that his hands were incredibly cold.

"She's right, Fili," said Balin. The elderly Dwarf staggered forward and planted a hand on the prince's shoulder. He locked eyes with Avalain and offered a solitary, solemn nod. "We have no choice."

"So we're going to let her take the fall for us?" retorted Fili, looking back over his shoulder to his mentor.

Avalain chuckled and squeezed his hand. "If it means helping you, it will be no fall," she insisted.

Balin nodded and dipped his head; perhaps intended to be a small bow. "We have to do this, lad. For better or worse."

Fili sighed and placed his free hand on his forehead, a scowl barely visible. As Balin retreated back against the wall to earn some more bored sleep, Avalain remained sitting, feeling that he wished to say something, and that she only had to wait.

She was right. After a couple uneasy minutes had passed, Fili murmured, "I cannot help but think of a promise I made myself, when we decided to be together, that I would only ever do what is best for you. And yet here we are, three months later, and you are the one jeopardizing something for _me_. I cannot sit here and let you risk your reputation and your relationship with your adopted father for the sake of our quest. It isn't right."

He hit the stone wall with a closed fist, the defeat prominent in his tone. Avalain was uncertain if anything she could say would make him feel better—but she certainly wished to try.

"Don't think like that," she replied. "It will do nothing for you."

"It's the truth. I'm already doing a terrible job enacting that so-called promise I made. As the heir to a kingdom… it is a frightening thought, that this could be an indicator to how well I'll be able to protect my people."

"Surely not!" the She-Elf cried, slapping her hands on the pavement. Fili jumped somewhat with the sound and gazed quizzically at her as she exclaimed, "What a ridiculous assumption. These circumstances are unfavorable, true, but you _cannot _let one instance affect your outlook. You berate yourself—and it insults _me. _You will be a great ruler; I know it."

The look in Fili's eyes turned warmer upon seeing the fire within her own. But Avalain was not done speaking: her voice was intense yet gentle as she added, "And things will not always be like this. Relationships are about give and take, yes? It may not always be a perfect balance—but when we begin life in Erebor, that is when you can take care of me. I just need to help us get there."

Fili stared at her, a familiar adoration on his face. He reached out as if to grab her hand, but he had to retract his hand in an effort to hide a yawn.

Avalain looked to the Dwarf and giggled, charmed by the sheepish smile he gave her. Noting that he seemed to be tiring, the She-Elf began slowly humming one of her people's favorite songs: about Lúthien and Beren, and how she was one of the most beautiful Elves to walk Middle-Earth.

Slowly but surely, her dear one began to drift off into sleep, his head resting in his hands. Avalain couldn't help but smile at how different—how peaceful—he was. The stress of being in the Mirkwood dungeons was eating at him more than he cared to admit, and now she could see it firsthand.

Once she was sure he was soundly asleep, Avalain sighed to herself and rose. Knowing that she would be expected to dine with Legolas and King Thranduíl soon, after another look across all the cells, she left the dungeons with the self-appointed task of pillaging some food from the kitchens and bringing it to the Dwarves later.


End file.
